Swapo youth league beats drums of war

… threatens to ‘expel, shame’ members suing party

The Swapo Party Youth League (SPYL) has threatened to push for the expulsion of members taking the party to court over its pending congress.

The party is still to hold a congress since the death of president Hage Geingob on 4 February.

Speaking at an extraordinary SPYL central committee meeting in Windhoek on Saturday, secretary Efraim Nekongo said the league would expel and shame those resorting to legal action.

“We wish them well on their endeavours, because we are going to defeat them, we are going to shame them, but also the leadership of the party must know that this disrespect will continue […] let them also after the court expel them from Swapo,” Nekongo said.

Five members of Swapo have filed an application to challenge the party’s decision not to hold an extraordinary congress after Geingob’s death in the High Court.

The five, who constitute a faction of the ruling party which is disgruntled with a decision to endorse the candidature of Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah ahead of the November elections, are Reinhold Shipwikineni, Petrus Shituula, Joshua Martins, Erich Shivute and Aina Angula.

They have listed Swapo and Nandi-Ndaitwah as first and second respondents, respectively.

‘OBJECTION NOT WITHDRAWN’

Shipwikineni yesterday said media reports saying the objection in which they requested the Electoral Commission of Namibia not to register Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah as a presidential candidate for the November elections are not true.

He said they did not instruct their lawyer to submit a withdrawal of the objection.

“We did not withdraw the case and we did not instruct the lawyer to withdraw the objection. In fact, we even wrote another letter to the ECN in our own capacities, requesting that the objection stands as it is,” Shipwikineni said.

‘NO DIVISION’

Nekongo said recent media reports on Swapo are aimed at causing division and confusion in the party.

“Unfortunately, that seed will not grow. Down with the division seeds, down. The media wants to portray that we are divided, but we are not divided.

“If you maybe want to divide us so that we do not deliver Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah and the Swapo party, shame, you will not achieve that,” he said.

SWAPO POT

The meeting also elected six candidates to the electoral college commonly known in Swapo circles as ‘The Pot’.

The six will join other party members from different party wings to contest for parliament seats.

They are Sam Shafiishuna Nujoma, Kristofina Nakanduungile, Albertina Ngavirue, Meryam Nghidipo, Ndjizera Ndjizera and Anselm Marungu.

Among those who were also vying to be elected are Valmery Jantjies, Benhard Wakudumo and Jeremia Nghiwana.

Nekongo has asked the party leadership to consider young people.

“We are not in competition, but please consider us,” he said.

Meanwhile, SPYL central committee member Willem Amutenya said it is a victory for the youth league to send six candidates.

“That should be celebrated,” he said.

Amutenya said the party has been advocating for young people to be included in decision-making.

“Fellow youth who will make it to the electoral college, I request that they go and spearhead efforts to economically empower and socially uplift fellow young people. Our generation has high expectations, so we should remain true to the youth agenda.”

‘GENERATIONAL SHIFT’

Political analyst Ndumba Kamwanyah says the nominations of relatively unknown faces within the youth league raise interesting points about the internal dynamics within the party.

“While these candidates are relatively unknown in the broader political landscape, their chances at the electoral college will largely depend on internal party politics,” he says.

He says the selection of new faces suggests maneuvering and possibly an effort by certain groups within the party to assert their influence or push for a generational shift.

“However, whether these candidates can break through depends on their backing by influential party members and their ability to navigate the internal power plays within Swapo.”

Kamwanyah says the names selected reflect a mix of regional representation.

“It’s crucial to note that Swapo has historically been dominated by leaders from certain regions, particularly those with strong historical ties to the party … and that’s obvious from the list,” he says.

Political scientist Rui Tyitende says it would be interesting to see how many capable young people would make it to the list of 96 National Assembly members.

“With the exception of Sam Nujoma, is this the best that SPYL had to offer? Or is the party limited by the caliber of its leadership?” he asks.

Tyitende says Swapo does not have a history of catering for the young.

“The politics of the liberation struggle still permeates the thinking and culture of the party.”