Swapo appoints 31-member think tank

SWAPO yesterday announced new appointments to lead its research arm, called the Swapo think tank, until the party’s elective congress in 2022.

The new think tank, which succeeds a group of 60 people appointed in 2019, will be chaired by long-serving Namibia University of Science and Technology lecturer Andrew Niikondo.

Niikondo will be deputised by Mokgatle-Aukhumes.

The Swapo think tank was established in 2007 “to assist the party in carrying out its activities in their free time”.

The party’s secretary general, Sophia Shaningwa, said she expects the new Swapo think tank to provide evidence-based policy options on political and economic issues to the party.

They must also advise the party on strategies on how to manage “a modern mass-based political party to address the fast-changing political landscape”.

She said the decision to appoint a new think tank was informed by the resolutions of the party’s introspection meeting, which took place in 2020.

One of the immediate tasks of the new think tank, Shaningwa said, was to develop draft policies and research papers for consideration at the anticipated policy conference.

This policy conference will be held within the next five months, Shaningwa said.

Swapo already had two policy conferences in 2013 and 2016, which were mostly informed by research activities of the think tank.

Shaningwa said it is very important for the future of the country that young people remain resolute.

She said members are drawn from various professions with differing fields of expertise to enhance the work of Swapo, and to work towards the betterment of citizens’ livelihoods.

Shaningwa siad the new think tank is made up of eight clusters, namely inner-party governance, economics, infrastructure and services, social, defence and security, implementation and monitoring, diplomacy and jurisprudence, information, science and technology, and an editorial committee.

The new members will be assigned to different clusters, depending on their fields of expertise.

In addition, demographics and gender were also considered.

Shaningwa urged members of the new think tank to take their duties seriously, even though they would be working for free.

“It should therefore be understood that there will be no remuneration to the members of the think tank, hence it is about commitment and dedication to our beloved party and country. You are going to do this free of charge for the love of our party,” Shaningwa said.

Other members of the think tank are Messag Mulunga, Herman Shitaleni, Desderius Shilunga, Frednard Gideon, Carlo McLeod, Eliphas Hawala, Bennett Kangumu, Erwin Ronald /Awarab, Mathias Kashindi, Michael Tjivikua, Gottlieb Hinda, Daniel Zaire, Postrick Mushendami, Ivan Pieters, Simon Muyenga, Frans Murangi, Felix Musukubili, Kisco Sinvula, Bisey Uirab, Vincent Likoro, Uazuva Kaumbi, Ndiyakupi Nghituwamata, Frederika Amutse-Shigwedha, Hallo Angala, Emma Haiyambo, Florette Nakusera, Trudy Riana Hoffman-Geises, Wayera Hausiku and Rauna Namukwambi.