Swapo concludes electoral college

MOST Swapo members of parliament this weekend maintained their position on the party list to secure yet another five years in the National Assembly.

The ruling party concluded its electoral college in Windhoek this morning. The party elected 96 members who will qualify to represent Swapo in the National Assembly for the next five years, depending on the number of seats the ruling party wins in the national election later this year.

Environment minister Pohamba Shifeta topped the list of male candidates, while the deputy minister of industrialisation, trade and SME development, Lucia Iipumbu, came first on the women’s list.

Iipumbu is ranked fourth on the party list due to the practice of a 50/50 gender representation.

Because Shifeta got more individual votes than her, he is in a position above Iipumbu.

The first two slots on the list are occupied by Swapo vice president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah and secretary general Sophia Shaningwa.

The party’s deputy secretary general Marko Hausiku indicated that he would not be available to go to parliament next year. He was thus excluded although he was an automatic candidate.

Among those who made the top ten is mines and energy minister Tom Alweendo in the fifth position, followed by prime minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila (6), and home affairs minister Frans Kapofi at number seven.

Johanna Kandjimi occupies the eighth position. Urban and rural development minister Peya Mushelenga came in at the ninth position while deputy minister of disability affairs Alexia Manombe-Ncube occupies the tenth position.

President Hage Geingob will add 10 more names to the list – as presidential nominees.It is not known when the president will announce the names.

Former Namibia Wildlife Resorts managing director Tobie Aupindi, who was convicted on a charge under the Anti-Corruption Act last year, is at number 29 on the list, while former education minister Katrina Hanse-Himarwa, who in July this year was convicted of having corruptly used her former position as Hardap governor, only made it to the 83rd position on the list.

The Namibian Consitution allows the president to also appoint eight non-voting members to the National Assembly.

Ninety-six candidates are nominated on the party list for the National Assembly election, and the seats in the assembly are allocated based on how the party performs in the national elections.

The list is valid for the next five years. Matters such as the death or resignation of members would mean that the next person on the list of 96 would get to be elevated.