RDP guns for Ohangwena governor

THE opposition Rally for Democracy and Progress has accused Ohangwena governor Usko Nghaamwa of using a meeting organised by the Electoral Commission of Namibia to campaign for the ruling Swapo Party.

Nghaamwa was presenting welcoming remarks during an ECN consultative meeting on the use of the electronic voting machine (EVM) in the Ohangwena by-election at the constituency office at Onhuno settlement on Wednesday. The bye-election is scheduled for August 5.

The RDP accused Nghaamwa of politicising the ECN meeting by “deliberately making a statement favouring the Swapo Party instead of sticking to the agenda of the meeting”.

RDP delegates were irked when Nghaamwa lashed out at one of the ECN’s voter education officials, Pohamba Hamutenya, and accused him of conducting voter education in the villages without informing his office or the acting constituency councillor.

Nghaamwa said villagers would not accept Hamutenya because he went to them without the blessing of the regional governor’s office and/or that of the acting councillor of the constituency.

Councillor Phillip Namundjebo of the Oshikango Constituency is the acting councillor of the Ohangwena Constituency, following the death of the former Ohangwena Constituency councillor Maria Tuleingepo Kombwana early last month.

Nghaamwa angered the RDP representatives further by declaring that he wanted the constituency by-election be peaceful, and that people should not drink together if they are not from the same political organisation/party.

“Honourable governor, we are not interested in your Swapo campaign. Who are you to educate us here and to divert us from the agenda of the meeting?” Dineinge Sheya of the RDP challenged Nghaamwa.

Sheya also described Nghaamwa as a newcomer to Swapo.

“We grew up in Swapo fighting for the independence of this country unlike you who just joined,” Sheya argued, adding that the Ohangwena regional governor is an amateur in politics.

The RDP candidate for the by-election, Vilho Shimwooshili, also joined the fray accusing the ECN officials of allowing Nghaamwa to spoil the meeting with continuous irresponsible statements.

Shimwooshili told reporters after the meeting that Nghaamwa is dividing the people of the constituency by suggesting that they should not drink together if they are not from the same political party.

“This shows that the Ohangwena Region still needs a leader who has the capacity to unite the inhabitants, irrespective of their political affiliation,” Shimwooshili charged.

According to him, President Hifikepunye Pohamba’s dream for a united nation without discrimination on the grounds of political orientation will not be realised if people with irresponsible and discriminatory attitudes continue holding key positions in government.

The same meeting heard that the ECN will use the EVMs for the first time in the country during the Ohangwena by-election.

– Nampa