Swapo expels Itula from party

THE ruling Swapo Party today expelled Windhoek-based dentist Panduleni Itula, who contested last year’s presidential election as an independent candidate, for allegedly working with "counter-revolutionary forces”to destroy and weaken the party.

Itula, who is a Swapo member, lost last year’s presidential election to Swapo leader Hage Geingob, when he received 29% of the votes cast while Geingob received a majority share of 56%.

Itula is being accused of violating Swapo’s constitution when he supported rival parties that were in competition with the ruling party during last year’s presidential and National Assembly elections.

In a letter delivered to Itula today, Swapo secretary general Sophia Shaningwa informed him that the party’s politburo decided on Thursday to expel him from the party with immediate effect.

Shaningwa remarked that Itula had made himself guilty of disruptive behaviour by not accepting the party’s choice of Geingob as its sole candidate in the 2019 presidential election, and also noted that as an independent candidate he campaigned against the party and shared a platform with other political parties opposed to Swapo.

Shaningwa reminded Itula that in terms of the Swapo constitution he can appeal to the party’s central committee within 14 days against the decision to expel him.