Zambezi regional councillor John Likando next in line for Swapo seat in parliament

Swapo’s regional councillor for the Kabbe South constituency in the Zambezi region, John Likando, is set to be heading to parliament.

This is due to president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah’s appointment of Lucia Witbooi as vice president on Saturday.

Witbooi’s name was 43rd on Swapo’s list of National Assembly candidates.

Since she is now the vice president, Witbooi is expected to resign her parliament seat and give it up to the next person on the ruling party’s list as she takes up her duties as the country’s second woman vice president since Namibia’s independence.

According to Swapo’s list of candidates for election to the National Assembly, Likando is next in line to fill a vacancy in the ruling party’s ranks in the assembly.

This means the Kabbe South constituency will have to hold a by-election within 90 days, as Likando’s term was set to expire in November, before the regional and local authority elections that are scheduled to take place this year.

Next in line after Likando is Christine Haindaka, the Swapo Party Youth League’s deputy secretary, at 53 on the party list.