Mystery surrounds talk of opposition merger

CONGRESS of Democrats’ president Ben Ulenga has allegedly come under pressure from his comrades for proposing that a new political opposition party be formed out of the CoD, DTA, UDF and other unnamed parties.

Several CoD leaders this month shot down the merger proposal after getting wind that their party head had drawn up detailed proposals to bring together the CoD, Katuutire Kaura’s DTA and Damara Chief Justus Garoeb’s United Democratic Front, according to sources close to the party leadership. The Namibian has seen a copy of a document titled “Proposal for the launch of the ‘new opposition’”.It contains dates for when the representatives of the parties will “endorse” the formation of a new party, a political programme, election manifesto, name and symbols of the party, constitution and the composition of the leadership.The middle of August was proposed as possible launching time.The paper is described as a draft.Approached for comment yesterday, Ulenga initially avoided confirming or denying whether he had drafted the document.However, he emphatically denied having had talks with DTA president Kaura or the UDF’s Garoeb about the disbanding of the three parties in order to form a new opposition group.Asked if he had drawn up a document of that sort, Ulenga said the question should be “have you thought” about the formation of a new party.”That’s why I’m saying, if you are talking about my thoughts, I think it will be a little unfair because I sit down and dream, and sometime I may even put down some of my dreams on paper.But it is not to discuss with the media,” said Ulenga.The Namibian has seen an unsigned letter addressed to the DTA outlining the contents of the proposed merger.Ulenga said he had not spoken or handed a document to Kaura or Garoeb about the so-called new opposition, adding at one point that the questions were “devious”.”You must be straightforward and ask me what I have thought about,” said Ulenga.”That document is not of the status of having been discussed between the various political parties.I think what we are dealing with is a situation where some people have jumped the gun.I think you are trying to give status to a situation that has not acquired that status,” he said.But one CoD leader said he had been upset when a DTA parliamentarian “offered” him a post in the new organisation.”I learnt from outsiders that we were being sold to the DTA,” charged the CoD leader who declined to be named.Ulenga said:”What I can assure you is that there have been no meetings, not formal or informal, between myself and Kaura.It is not true that I have unilaterally entered into talks.”Garoeb, the UDF President, said he was not aware of any merger or coalition talks at national level.Kaura could not be reached for comment yesterday.Three weeks ago he declined to give details saying only that talks had reached “a very very sensitive stage”.CoD National Chairperson Nora Schimming-Chase declined to talk about the existence of a document.Schimming-Chase said only that she, Tsudao Gurirab and Secretary General Ignatius Shixwameni had been mandated to negotiate with other parties about co-operation.”You should speak to Mr Ulenga about that if the document was drafted by him.CoD has not,” she said.Asked if she was aware of the document, Schimming-Chase repeated herself like a stuck record:”There is no such CoD document.”The CoD holds it second congress this weekend.The Namibian has seen a copy of a document titled “Proposal for the launch of the ‘new opposition’”.It contains dates for when the representatives of the parties will “endorse” the formation of a new party, a political programme, election manifesto, name and symbols of the party, constitution and the composition of the leadership.The middle of August was proposed as possible launching time.The paper is described as a draft.Approached for comment yesterday, Ulenga initially avoided confirming or denying whether he had drafted the document.However, he emphatically denied having had talks with DTA president Kaura or the UDF’s Garoeb about the disbanding of the three parties in order to form a new opposition group.Asked if he had drawn up a document of that sort, Ulenga said the question should be “have you thought” about the formation of a new party.”That’s why I’m saying, if you are talking about my thoughts, I think it will be a little unfair because I sit down and dream, and sometime I may even put down some of my dreams on paper.But it is not to discuss with the media,” said Ulenga.The Namibian has seen an unsigned letter addressed to the DTA outlining the contents of the proposed merger.Ulenga said he had not spoken or handed a document to Kaura or Garoeb about the so-called new opposition, adding at one point that the questions were “devious”.”You must be straightforward and ask me what I have thought about,” said Ulenga.”That document is not of the status of having been discussed between the various political parties.I think what we are dealing with is a situation where some people have jumped the gun.I think you are trying to give status to a situation that has not acquired that status,” he said.But one CoD leader said he had been upset when a DTA parliamentarian “offered” him a post in the new organisation.”I learnt from outsiders that we were being sold to the DTA,” charged the CoD leader who declined to be named.Ulenga said:”What I can assure you is that there have been no meetings, not formal or informal, between myself and Kaura.It is not true that I have unilaterally entered into talks.”Garoeb, the UDF President, said he was not aware of any merger or coalition talks at national level.Kaura could not be reached for comment yesterday.Three weeks ago he declined to give details saying only that talks had reached “a very very sensitive stage”.CoD National Chairperson Nora Schimming-Chase declined to talk about the existence of a document.Schimming-Chase said only that she, Tsudao Gurirab and Secretary General Ignatius Shixwameni had been mandated to negotiate with other parties about co-operation.”You should speak to Mr Ulenga about that if the document was drafted by him.CoD has not,” she said.Asked if she was aware of the document, Schimming-Chase repeated herself like a stuck record:”There is no such CoD document.”The CoD holds it second congress this weekend.