Hamutenya lies low as he ponders future

FORMER Minister of Foreign Affairs Hidipo Hamutenya is lying low and has declined to discuss his political future.

Hamutenya, who was fired as minister shortly before the special Swapo congress that chose the party’s presidential candidate, has joined the back benches of the National Assembly. He still has to make a speech as an ordinary member of the parliament for Swapo and maintains a low profile, turning up for sessions in bright colour jackets.”I’m not going to talk about them [future plans],” he said last week when asked whether he intends to remain in active politics or branch out.”I’m not saying anything.I’m still crystallising” the ideas, he said.The senior Swapo member and one of Government’s top officials since Independence in 1990 declined to say whether he will seek a parliamentary seat for the next five years.Swapo began its nomination process this month for the 72 candidates whom the party plans to send to the National Assembly after the November general elections.Hamutenya is out of favour with the Swapo President, Sam Nujoma, who has the authority to select 10 people to the list.The 10 will be joined by 26 candidates whom the 13 regions will select to go onto the list of the ruling party’s parliamentarians.In terms of Swapo’s election rules, the Politburo “shall ensure” that the 36 candidates – 10 presidential nominees and regional representatives – be put on the top of the list of 72 that the party will draw up for the elections.Party leaders who fail to make it into the top 36 will then have to ensure that they are ranked within the next 10 or 15 places, which may give them a realistic chance of going to parliament judging by the last elections results.There is a strong possibility that Hamutenya’s star may wane following the dismissal, and some of his supporters fear that his popularity in the party could be affected by the fall-out with Nujoma.Lately, he has been the subject of vilification through mass circulated e-mails.He still has to make a speech as an ordinary member of the parliament for Swapo and maintains a low profile, turning up for sessions in bright colour jackets.”I’m not going to talk about them [future plans],” he said last week when asked whether he intends to remain in active politics or branch out.”I’m not saying anything.I’m still crystallising” the ideas, he said.The senior Swapo member and one of Government’s top officials since Independence in 1990 declined to say whether he will seek a parliamentary seat for the next five years.Swapo began its nomination process this month for the 72 candidates whom the party plans to send to the National Assembly after the November general elections.Hamutenya is out of favour with the Swapo President, Sam Nujoma, who has the authority to select 10 people to the list.The 10 will be joined by 26 candidates whom the 13 regions will select to go onto the list of the ruling party’s parliamentarians.In terms of Swapo’s election rules, the Politburo “shall ensure” that the 36 candidates – 10 presidential nominees and regional representatives – be put on the top of the list of 72 that the party will draw up for the elections.Party leaders who fail to make it into the top 36 will then have to ensure that they are ranked within the next 10 or 15 places, which may give them a realistic chance of going to parliament judging by the last elections results.There is a strong possibility that Hamutenya’s star may wane following the dismissal, and some of his supporters fear that his popularity in the party could be affected by the fall-out with Nujoma.Lately, he has been the subject of vilification through mass circulated e-mails.