APP is dead – party vice president

All People’s Party (APP) vice president Erastus Shuumbwa says his party is dead as many people have resigned from it.

Shuumbwa was suspended from his position as party vice president in May this year. He was accused of being part of a new party.

As he is on suspension, he is unable to attend the party’s elective congress in Rundu this weekend.

Speaking to The Namibian on Thursday, Shuumbwa said some party leaders labeled him as an “intruder”.

“APP is dead. It is completely dead, I am saying this without fear of contradiction. APP is dead. As we speak, in the north, they have absolutely nothing. People have resigned. They took two people from the north to the congress. Vulnerable people who cannot speak for themselves,” he said.

“I can’t say I am still part of APP but yes, I am still a member of parliament, but the position in the party that I am holding is going to be scrapped from me,” Shuumbwa said.

He said the party attempted to remove him from parliament after the death of party president Ignatius Shixwameni in November 2021.

He said he had never exercised presidential power since Shixwameni’s death.

“Someone else was exercising those powers,” Shuumbwa said, adding that the past two years have been a difficult journey for him.

“It was not a good environment for me. They don’t respect the party’s constitution,” he said.

Shuumbwa is expected to appear before the APP’s disciplinary hearing next week.

Contacted for comment on Friday, party chairperson Linus Muchila said the party will pronounce itself at the official opening of congress.