Theofelus eyes Swapo pot on union’s ticket

Minister of information and communication technology Emma Theofelus is allegedly hoping to secure a place in the Swapo ‘pot’ with the help of the National Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW).

This comes after Theofelus missed the chance to go to the Swapo electoral college, also known as the pot.

The minister yesterday confirmed she would attend the electoral college, but did not shed light on the union’s involvement.

“All I can say is I am going to the electoral college, I am a delegate,” she said.

Theofelus said she has been using the NUNW logo, because it is affiliated to Swapo.

The party will elect 96 members to represent it in the National Assembly for 2025 to 2029 at the electoral college, which will take place from 6 to 8 September.

The delegates to the electoral college are all Swapo central committee and National Assembly members, and are elected from each region through regional conferences.

The Swapo Party Youth League (SPYL), the elder’s council, the NUNW and the Former Plan Combatants Association will nominate six candidates each.

The Swapo Party Women’s Council will nominate 10 candidates.

For a member to qualify for nomination as a delegate, they have to be in possession of a Namibian identification document, voter’s card, five years’ uninterrupted party membership, five years’ good standing in paying their annual membership subscription fees, five years’ good standing in paying a 1% contribution, and a certificate of good conduct from the police not older than six months.

‘ILLOGICAL’

Political analyst Ben Mulongeni says politicians tend to force themselves into structures they don’t belong in.

“We have seen people who would go to the ‘pot’ through constituencies they do not belong to. Someone can come all the way from Windhoek to want to be sent from Omaheke,” he says.

Political analyst Joseph Diescho says it is illogical that the minister goes to the electoral college on the ticket of a union of which she is not a leader.

“The logic that was used by the late president Hage Gaingob to steamroll Emma Theofelus into the National Assembly and later into the Cabinet was youth representation,” he says.

In the absence of that youth representation she has no mandate to go to the pot as a political leader, says Diescho.

“Lest we forget that even at the time she was wheelbarrowed into parliament there were unhappy voices from the youth formations. This is an unfortunate, bad and wrong way to exercise democracy by borrowing seats for purposes of satisfying political ambition,” he says.

Diescho says elections are essential for democracy, but relying on outdated practices can jeopardise the future.

“Factionalism and campaigning is on the menu of Swapo politics of the belly. When the centre does not hold, things fall apart,” he says.

Political analyst Rui Tyitende says questions need to be raised as to how Theofelus managed to enter through the “back door” of the NUNW.

“If it is true, it means she has been rejected by SPYL for having ascended to the National Assembly and subsequently being appointed a minister without having gone through the SPYL structures,” he says.

“The SPYL has an axe to grind as they always thought of her appointment as a non-voting member of the National Assembly by president Geingob as a vote of no confidence in the SPYL leadership,” Tyitende says.

He urges the NUNW to clarify how the minister managed to make it through the union, as women in positions of power and leadership are at times perceived to have ascended through bribes, politics of the bedroom and outright conspiracies.

“In the court of public opinion, this does not bode well for young women who have entered the policymaking space through merit,” he says.

‘UNFAIR’

Political analyst Johannes Coetzee says the move is unfair to those leading the union.

“It doesn’t auger very well for support from the workers’ side to vote for the Swapo ticket in the next upcoming elections,” he says.

“The question is: What has she done for the workers in Namibia? I don’t know of anything substantial,” he says.

He says factionism in the party has an influence.

NUNW secretary general Job Muniaro could not be reached for comment.