2024: The year that was in news

THE year 2024 had its ups and downs in terms of news, but like any other year, it had headlines that both silenced the nation and moments that lifted Namibia.
The following are some of the major stories that kept Namibians on the edge of their seats during the year.

DEATH OF THE PRESIDENT

It was a day Namibia stood still. On 4 February, president Hage Geingob (82) – a champion of press freedom – passed away in Windhoek.

Twenty days later, his body was interred in a mausoleum at Heroes’ Acre on the outskirts of Windhoek. He received 87% of the vote during his first election, but his popularity plummeted to 56% during his bid for his second run for the presidency.

Geingob died shortly after his cancer diagnosis was made public on 17 January. The late president is survived by his wife, Monica Geingos, eight children, two siblings and grandchildren.

Ten months later, the nation still feels the weight of his absence.

FACES OF FAILURE

The Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) wrongfully deregistered two political parties, was unable to timeously procure ballot papers, and did not manage election day with sufficient ballot papers, leading to long queues as well as hundreds of frustrated voters.

The commission chief election and referendum officer, Peter Shaama, admitted to the court that they realised the commission made an error in deciding to cancel the registration of the two political parties that failed to comply with the Electoral Act.

Party representatives at the ECN expressed a lack of confidence in the commission throughout the year.

The relationship with political parties turned sour after the commission showed favour to Swapo secretary general Sophia Shaningwa on two occasions.

The first was during the nomination session at the commission’s head office when they ushered Shaningwa in and seated her while other political leaders did not have the same courtesy. A scuffle broke out between party representatives.

The one that broke the camel’s back was when the parties were set to meet with ECN commissioners and, again, Shaningwa was ushered to the second floor while the rest of the political leaders were told to wait on the ground floor.

The ECN cancelled its open bidding process for the printing of ballots, citing fears that delays caused by potential objections to the tender could jeopardise preparations for the elections. This was less than two months before election day.

On 17 October, the electoral body awarded the N$6.2-million contract to Ren-Form, a South African-based company. The cost of printing ballot papers skyrocketed from N$2.4 million.

Another incident which rubbed political parties the wrong way was in July, when president Nangolo Mbumba and Shaningwa had a meeting with the country’s electoral body during the general voter’s registration. No other political party was invited or notified about the meeting.

MPS ABANDON PARLIAMENT FOR CAMPAIGNS

The National Assembly could not discuss the midterm budget review for two days because not enough lawmakers showed up for work.

For two days in October, less than 49 members of parliament (MPs), out of 104, showed up.

This was the scene set by lawmakers through the year, with some calling for the parliamentary calendar to be adjusted to make room for political campaigns ahead of the November presidential and National Assembly elections.

The MPs had more than three months of recess in the last six months of the year.

The lawmakers abandoned the National Assembly, leaving an agenda filled with a motion calling on the expropriation of land of foreign absentee landlords without compensation in Namibia.

Another item on the agenda is the debate on the critical issue of extracting water from the Ohangwena Aquifer 2 as a vital resource for the Ohangwena region and the broader northern regions of Namibia.

SWAPO’S SLIPPING GRIP OF POWER

Swapo has lost 26 National Assembly seats since 2014.

The party maintained its grip on power after this year’s presidential and National Assembly elections with 51 seats, a downgrade from 63 seats in 2019.

In 2014, the party won 77 out of 96 seats, mainly backed by former president Hage Geingob’s prosperity promises.

Its presidential candidate this year, vice president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, won the presidential election with 57.3% of the vote to become Namibia’s first woman president, set to take office on 21 March 2025.

According to the election results, Nandi-Ndaitwah is slightly more popular than Geingob.

NUDO’s INFIGHTING

From soccer house to the political field, former Namibia Football Association secretary general Barry Rukoro attracted controversy after failing to contest the National Unity Democratic Organisation (Nudo) presidency.

Swanu of Namibia got one seat for its president, Evilastus Kaaronda.

Swanu faced its own troubled times as two faction leaders emerged within the divided Swanu party. In September, a splinter group has broken away from Kaaronda’s leadership to install Charles Katjivirue as president. The Katjivirue-led faction held an extraordinary congress that was deemed illegal by Kaaronda.

RDP FIGHT FOR PRESIDENCY

Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP) founding member Kandy Nehova and three other party members wanted the court to prohibit party president Mike Kavekotora, vice president Kenedy Shekupakela, secretary general Cecil Nguvauva and Nicanor Ndjoze, whose leadership they dispute, from using a party bank account and from holding any meetings to nominate candidates for the national elections.

It was thrown out by the Electoral Court, stating it does not have the jurisdiction to hear and decide on an urgent application.

NEFF WOES

The Namibian Economic Freedom Fighters (NEFF) lost and regained power during this political year.

It lost one of its two seats in the National Assembly. But on the bright side, they regained activist Michael Amushelelo to his previous position of economic commissar after he left the NEFF for the Landless People’s Movement and then went back to NEFF.

Amushelelo and NEFF spewed hate at each other when the party was deregistered. The party was wrongfully deregistered by the ECN which led to Amushelelo leaving and calling the leaders negligent for failing to submit audited financial reports.

Deputy president Kalimbo Iipumbu at the time said Amushelelo’s claim is “childish” and lacks substance. In his post, Amushelelo said: “Even if they [the NEFF] are re-registered I won’t go back.”

But he made a U-turn on that statement and ran back into the arms of Iipumbu.