Nauyoma’s U-turn: rejoins Swapo after AR stint

… analyst labels move as politics of the belly

Swapo’s prodigal son and Affirmative Repositioning (AR) co-founder Dimbulukeni Nauyoma says he doesn’t care to listen to “street pedestrians” who have labelled him a sell-out.

Nauyoma rejoined Swapo yesterday after the, former Windhoek mayor Job Amupanda and George Kambala founded the AR movement as a pressure group in November 2014, following widespread concerns about the Windhoek municipality’s land delivery.

He was welcomed back to the party by Swapo secretary general Sophia Shaningwa yesterday at the party’s final rally before Wednesday’s elections.

Since news broke that Nauyoma is rejoining Swapo, Namibians have been questioning this move and calling him a sell out.

“I do not care to listen to those street pedestrian views that are being said [sic].

Because remember, when you are focused on the goal, the goal is economic emancipation in our lifetime,” Nauyoma told The Namibian yesterday.

He sang of his home party, saying he has “always said” the Swapo-led government would be the only government who would listen.

Nauyoma said while “things” may not always be right within the party, he does not want to break it down.

“It doesn’t matter when you are in a house, there will always be fights, there will always be quarrels.

Yes, some things may not be right, but it doesn’t mean that we must break down the house when the house is already standing,” he said

He said he is “going to be a proud member” of Swapo and that he just renewed his mandate to the party.

This move, Nauyoma said, was guided by spiritual guidance.

“I went home for spiritual guidance from my grandmother and the elders, we have concluded that this is the only thing I’ve not spoken about,” he said.

Nauyoma said he has been receiving offers to join other parties.

“They’ve been giving me calls since the beginning of the year, trying to persuade me to join them. But there was never respect for my views and opinions,” he said

Nauyoma said Swapo has provided unemployed graduates who took to the streets with himself, Michael Amushelelo and Inna Hengari with jobs.

On Nauyoma’s move, political scientist Rui Tyitende yesterday said unemployment is a serious issue among young people.

“Even those that were arrested for attempting to arrest the crisis have realised that they are fighting a losing battle as they themselves remain unemployed,” he said.

He said the prospect of economic emancipation remains elusive.

“Put differently, the politics of the belly will remain supreme and principles and values that they purport to represent will not matter,” he added.

Tyitende said poverty affects everyone.

“So, people will say and do anything and everything so that they can function in this precarious economy,” the analyst said.