… Shaningwa rejects visit by new leadership
Swapo’s central committee (CC) has postponed an affiliation application of the Namibian Exile Kids Association (Neka) – a move seen as rejection for defying the party’s top administrator.
This decision comes after the association disobeyed Swapo secretary general Sophia Shaningwa’s
plea to postpone its congress at Otjiwarongo.
Sources familiar with the matter say Shaningwa has also rejected a proposal to meet the new Neka leadership after the disputed congress.
The Namibian is informed that the postponement was announced at the CC meeting after Swapo’s Oshikoto regional coordinator, Armas Amukwiyu, enquired about Neka’s application for affiliation with the party.
The party’s vice president, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, allegedly suggested that Neka members would be considered to campaign for the party in the run-up to the 27 November elections, while president Nangolo Mbumba suggested that the matter be postponed to next year.
NamWater executive Kadiva Hamutumwa won the race for Neka’s presidency last month.
She is considered one of the rising stars in Nandi-Ndaitwah’s Swapo camp.
It appears her camp is not keen on challenging Shaningwa.
Former Neka secretary general Mao Angula last month said Neka submitted an application to be recognised as an affiliate of Swapo.
He said the application was submitted to the party last year.
The association’s application comes after Swapo in recent years affiliated itself with the Former Plan Combatants Association, a group of veterans from the People’s Liberation Army of Namibia, Swapo’s former military wing.
Neka is made up of people who were born or grew up in exile, and is divided into two groups – Neka itself and a split group calling itself Children of the Liberation Struggle (CLS).
According to a source close to Swapo, both groups have submitted applications for affiliation to Swapo.
“Neka is now made up of people who supported Hamutumwa, while CLS is made up of those who supported Rauna Amutati,” the source says.
“After Neka’s annual general meeting at Otjiwarongo, the new Neka leadership went to the office of the secretary general to follow up on their application for affiliation, but she told them to go back and come back with a report on what transpired at the annual general meeting,” the source says.
However, former Neka president Rauna Amutati says CLS is a social club run by individual Neka members.
She says she was not aware that CLS submitted an application for affiliation to the party.
“That’s definitely news to me,” Amutati says.
Angula yesterday had no comment on the alleged division within Neka, and on him being part of CLS.
“Maybe you can go back to your source and get more facts on what you are alluding to,” he said.
Two Swapo CC members yesterday said the party decided Neka should first produce a report on its annual general meeting at Otjiwarongo.
The report will have to be submitted to the office of the party secretary general before being tabled to the politburo and central committee.
“It’s not true that the affiliation was refused. The CC said the (Neka) leadership will wait for the report and act accordingly, so that the procedures are followed,” one of the members said.
Shaningwa and her deputy, Uahekua Herunga, were not reachable for comment yesterday and a text message sent to Herunga was not responded to.
Hamutumwa declined to comment on the questions sent to her.
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