Nauyoma dumps Job for Ally

Affirmative Repositioning (AR) activist Dimbulukeni Nauyoma has dumped the combative political movement led by Job Amupanda to find a new home with Ally Angula, who is gunning for the presidency next year.

“It can never be false, neither can it be defamatory. We are confirming that we are part of that campaign,” Nauyoma says.

The activist says he is now the chief campaign manager for the new political outfit fronted by Angula.

He describes the AR movement as “a once glorious movement which has since taken a detour on its ideological principles”.

Nauyoma yesterday told Desert Radio information about him rooting for Angula is true “without a shadow of doubt”.

This revelation, however, could put him on a collision course with his former compatriot Amupanda, who has already pronounced himself as a candidate for the Presidency in 2024.

AR spokesperson George Kambala yesterday shrugged off Nauyoma’s move.

“We live in a country where everybody is allowed to dream . . . so it’s inevitable that people will put in their efforts to make sure they realise that dream. It’s nothing shocking,” he said.

Nauyoma says he believes political parties can find ways to complement each other rather than clash.

“We have not drawn any battle lines, but are willing to work with as many parties as possible,” Nauyoma said, calling on more collaborators to join in “to dethrone this political animal called Swapo”.

WHAT WENT WRONG?

Nauyoma declined to go into detail on what transpired between himself, Amupanda and Kambala.

He said the fact that people share the same ideology does not mean they should belong to the same movement.

“I am not interested in the past or what transpired,” he said.

Nauyoma said his relationship with the AR’s co-founders was not built on politics, and that they could contribute to the development of the country individually.

“We founded that movement for that purpose. But it is now transforming into a political animal,” he said.

He said the AR movement would have had a bigger impact on the populace had it opted to expand its presence at local governance level, as this is where aspects of bread and butter issues are dealt with directly.

Kambala said his ex-compatriot’s views no longer mattered to the AR.

“His views no longer add value . . . He is still a brother, a friend, there is no animosity there. It’s just a difference of perspective,” he said.
With the 2024 national and presidential elections looming, Nauyoma risks being labelled a political flip-flopper.

He has been a member of Swapo, the AR, the Namibia Economic Freedom Fighters (NEFF), and now sides with Angula.

“Swapo expelled us in 2014, and the relationship with that party will not be the same. Even folks who returned to Swapo after the Rally for Democracy and Progress disbanded are still referred to as Hidipo’s people,” he said, further maintaining his link with the NEFF was merely to share his expertise.

‘CREDIBLE CANDIDATE’

“My alignment with Ally Angula has to do with me wanting to bring in a credible candidate, one who is able to deliver,” he said.

Political analyst Ndumba Kamwanyah says the clashing of Nauyoma with his ex-compatriots was unavoidable as the campaign trail heats up.

“It is definitely a drawing of the lines in the sand. That relationship they enjoyed when they came up with the formation of the AR and the cutting of the trees in Klein Kuppe is gone.

“It’s an unfortunate situation for Dimbulukeni and Job, who promised a lot of things, a lot of changes, and transformational politics, but it does not seem that the AR has gone beyond what they promised,” he says.

CREDENTIALS

Angula recently announced she would be gunning for the Presidency, following a supposed epiphany that purportedly suggested she is the “chosen one”.

“There are questions being asked about who Ally Angula is in the political sphere. I never thought that for a person to run for the presidential office one needs to have some sort of political history,” Nauyoma said.

He said Angula will bring to the table a wealth of experience she has garnered during her years in both the private and public sectors.

“She is somebody who has served in the finance ministry and who understands budgeting. She tried to make several contributions with regard to what needed to be done, but unfortunately the system was geared towards rejecting those noble and innovative ideas,” Nauyoma said.

He said Angula is being castigated for allegedly being entangled in legal battles, and there is a need to establish what these legal battles are about.

“Same party has been given the opportunity to run this country for 33 years. Do we still want to be in the same position in the next 33 years?”