Ex-Swapo MP jumps ship to join LPM

FORMER Swapo National Assembly backbencher Sophia Swartz has resigned from the ruling party to join the Landless People’s Movement.

Swartz resigned on Tuesday, 18 May from Swapo and surrendered her Swapo party membership card as well as her Swapo Party Women’s Council membership card at the Swapo Khomas regional office in Wanaheda.

Swartz, on Thursday confirmed her resignation and that she dropped her cards off at the Swapo Wanaheda office to an official there.

“I do not want to talk about why. Swapo was my home, but that is in the past now,” she said, adding that she has moved on and will utilise her political skills elsewhere.

She also confirmed joining the LPM over the weekend, on Saturday, 15 May.

Swapo’s //Kharas regional coordinator Matheus Mumbala, said Swartz did not provide him with reasons for her resignation when he asked about her resignation. Mumbala said he found out about Swartz’s resignation on social media.

“I then advised her to take the party documents to the nearest office, as per procedure,” he said.

Mumbala bemoaned Swartz’ departure and said she could have held on and served the party in other capacities, especially now that she is no longer representing the party in the National Assembly. He expressed hope that the party learns from the situation to avoid appointing leaders who will leave the party for greener pastures during difficult times.

Swartz was a community activist working for the Catholic AIDS Action in the //Kharas region when former president Hifikepunye Pohamba appointed her as one of his six non-voting members in the National Assembly in 2010. In 2014 she was elected onto the party list and served her second term in the National Assembly as a voting member.

She served on a few committees including being the chairperson of the Standing Committee of Natural Resource and deputy chairperson of the Standing Committee on Gender and Family Affairs.

Speculation is rife that Swarts has been in talks with LPM since 2020 but did not want to jump ship before the regional and local authority elections.

She allegedly felt Swapo no longer enjoyed the support of the masses nor was the party serving the nation. Swapo’s reputation as a party enabling corruption and failing to deliver on its promises to the nation, especially inhabitants of the Hardap and //Kharas regions, are said to be some of the reasons why the former MP left the ruling party.