Oshana and Omusati behind Ekandjo

SOME Swapo leaders in the Omusati Region have joined their Oshana counterparts to declare their support for Jerry Ekandjo, one of the three candidates in the race for Swapo’s vice presidency.

Ekandjo will face the party’s vice president, Hage Geingob, and secretary general, Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana, at the congress on November 29 to December 2.Ekandjo has been in the North since last weekend canvassing for support.On Monday he was welcomed by the Swapo regional leadership at Outapi as well as some of the other delegates to the upcoming congress.Ekandjo explained to them the procedure that was followed in the nominations of candidates by the Politburo and the Central Committee.’I came to you to tell you that I am one of the candidates, that I am going to fight for it and thus came to you to ask for your votes,’ Ekandjo said.He said he wants a stable and strong Swapo government to continue to lead Namibia and its people.Ekandjo called on all Namibians especially Swapo members and supporters to remain united.He said, there are already people going around saying that, now that Swapo has many candidates for the different posts, there will be a break-up in the party.’I want to tell you to remain united and that every one has to accept the outcome of that congress. We are one in Swapo and if one win, his or her victory is for all Swapo members and supporters. All what we have to do is to rally behind him or her and keep our Swapo party more stronger than before,’ Ekandjo said.The Swapo leadership in Omusati Region, had in the past been secretive about their support for the candidates.The Outapi meeting was also attended by some Swapo leadership from the Ohangwena Region, such as the Ohangwena regional coordinator Nestor Shuukwanyama, Eenhana mobiliser Udeiko Haufiku, as well as the councillor of Omundaungilo constituency Festus Ikanda and the regional secretary of the Swapo Party Youth League Ndaitavela Haimbodi.From the Oshana Region the chairperson regional council Loth Kuushomwa, mobiliser Joseph Mupetami, Councillor Joseph Endjala of Okapya constituency and Adolf Uunona of Ompundja constituency also attended.On Sunday former Okaku constituency councillor Henock ya Kasita said their regional leadership was behind Ekandjo.’We never support or endorse a person who will fail. If Oshana endorses or supports a person, he will always emerge victorious,’ Ya Kasita said.He said Ekandjo was ‘a good leader, a leader who is not selfish or corrupt’ and that was why they opted for him.However, the chairperson Oshana Regional Council Loth Kuushomwa, who is also the Swapo secretary for information and mobilisation in the Oshana Region, said all candidates received the same type of welcoming.’We have heard what they have told us and now everybody, with the right to vote at the congress, is ready to go and exercise his or her democratic right to vote for the candidate of their choice,’ he said.He said nobody will be prevented from exercising the right to vote for a candidate of his or her choice.’What Ya Kasita said is what he said. He is our boss, but still one cannot prevent a person from exercising his or her democratic right,’ he said.Sources said it was not all that straightforward and that not all in a regional delegation will vote for the same candidate even though their leaders might declare as such.