By Kuvee Kangueehi
Windhoek
Swapo Party has barred its regional structures from publicly declaring their preferred candidates for the upcoming congress. In a circular signed by the Secretary General of the Swapo Party, Dr Ngarikutuke Tjiriange, to all the party’s regional coordinators, the party warned it had noticed that some regions have started to announce their preferred candidates in the media, and that these kind of announcements have the potential to cause anxiety and provoke unnecessary debate, anticipation and confusion in the rank and file of the party membership.
The reaction from the party follows the public declaration by the Oshana and Karas regions to back current party president Dr Sam Nujoma for the party presidency and his vice Hifikepunye Pohamba to retain his position. In a circular issued on May 23, Tjiriange said it is uncustomary, unacceptable and unprocedural to announce preferred candidates in the manner it has been done so far by some regions.
“The Swapo Party has procedures in place which have to be followed when the party leaders are identified and elected,” he said.
In the circular, Tjiriange further says that the directive comes from the political bureau and thus the regions must desist from making unprocedural announcements that may provoke chain reactions, which may not be conducive to the political climate before the congress.
The politburo further directed the regions to follow the procedures that the party has adopted for identification of preferred candidates rather than making choices through public media.
The party further warned that all regional coordinators must make sure that the directive is strictly adhered to, as it is issued in the best interest of the party to avoid unnecessary anxiety and confusion amongst members.
Swapo Party is expected to hold its congress in December to elect is new leadership. So far there has been little indication of who would contest the top four positions of the party. However, with two central committee meetings lined up before the congress, the two meetings could give a hint about the direction things are likely to take at the congress.