Swapo congress tensions spill over into the NYC

THE Head of the National Youth Council’s (NYC) Health and Youth Welfare Desk, Sacky Amenya, has been suspended and three members of the organisation’s Board of Trustees are under investigation, The Namibian has established.

The NYC and Amenya himself on Monday confirmed the suspension but both parties declined to give details, insisting that “it is an internal matter.” The Namibian has learned from sources close to the youth organisation that reprisal moves are underway at the NYC to “deal with” those officials who allegedly supported former Foreign Minister Hidipo Hamutenya during the run-up to the Swapo extraordinary congress.Amenya, who was apparently suspended on a motion by NYC Secretary General Pohamba Shifeta at a joint NYC Executive Committee and Secretariat meeting held at Oshakati on Saturday, is alleged to have used an NYC vehicle and resources to campaign for Hamutenya.Shifeta is currently out of the country but the NYC’s acting Secretary General, Julius Namholo, only confirmed the suspension but refused to give reasons.”Where did you get that information [of the suspension] from.,” Namholo asked this reporter when approached for comment.”He has been suspended but I cannot give any other comment.”When pressed, the NYC’s acting chief first referred the reporter to Amenya and later said: “This is an internal matter, I don’t think it’s that serious to go to the media.”Amenya, who is a full-time employee of the NYC, only confirmed that he had received the notice of his suspension but declined to give further details.Speaking on condition of anonymity, one NYC board member said to be under investigation revealed that since the Swapo extraordinary congress “a clique” of senior officials from the NYC had been planning to allegedly “work out” Hamutenya’s supporters.”Made-up charges are being formulated against most of these people [Hamutenya’s supporters] simply to get them out,” one source told The Namibian.”As young people we don’t need these dirty tricks… they will only lead to disunity.”The Namibian has learned from sources close to the youth organisation that reprisal moves are underway at the NYC to “deal with” those officials who allegedly supported former Foreign Minister Hidipo Hamutenya during the run-up to the Swapo extraordinary congress.Amenya, who was apparently suspended on a motion by NYC Secretary General Pohamba Shifeta at a joint NYC Executive Committee and Secretariat meeting held at Oshakati on Saturday, is alleged to have used an NYC vehicle and resources to campaign for Hamutenya.Shifeta is currently out of the country but the NYC’s acting Secretary General, Julius Namholo, only confirmed the suspension but refused to give reasons.”Where did you get that information [of the suspension] from.,” Namholo asked this reporter when approached for comment.”He has been suspended but I cannot give any other comment.”When pressed, the NYC’s acting chief first referred the reporter to Amenya and later said: “This is an internal matter, I don’t think it’s that serious to go to the media.”Amenya, who is a full-time employee of the NYC, only confirmed that he had received the notice of his suspension but declined to give further details.Speaking on condition of anonymity, one NYC board member said to be under investigation revealed that since the Swapo extraordinary congress “a clique” of senior officials from the NYC had been planning to allegedly “work out” Hamutenya’s supporters.”Made-up charges are being formulated against most of these people [Hamutenya’s supporters] simply to get them out,” one source told The Namibian.”As young people we don’t need these dirty tricks… they will only lead to disunity.”