WINDHOEK – Swapo’s MP-elect Marina Kandumbu was not sworn in on Friday along with other elected lawmakers, a clear sign that the ruling party is yet to decide on what to do with her.
An alleged attempt by her party to lobby the Ministry of Education in which she served, for her to be reinstated into her previous job, seemingly also failed.
Swapo secretary general Nangolo Mbumba could not be reached for comment yesterday.
Kandumbu held position 70 on Swapo’s 96-member list and is currently unemployed after resigning from her job at the Kavango education directorate where she was employed as a chief education officer for planning.
A Swapo source however informed New Era that Kandumbu’s spot on the list is vacant pending a final decision by the party leadership.
“Her space is still on the list until the top four decide whether she should be sworn in or not,” said the source.
Last week New Era reported that Swapo had asked Kandumbu to either voluntarily withdraw from the Swapo list or have the party remove her from the list.
In a letter dated March 15, 2015, Swapo secretary general Mbumba informed Kandumbu: “The leadership of Swapo Party wants you to consider voluntarily withdrawing from the parliament list due to the nature of your case. The leadership of the party shall withdraw you from the list should you fail to do it yourself.”
Last week Swapo’s national leader assigned to the Kavango West Region, Marco Hausiku, Kavango West governor Sirkka Ausiku and Swapo regional coordinator for Kavango West, David Hamutenya, met Mbumba in Windhoek to discuss Kandumbu’s position on the list.
On November 11 2014 she was found guilty of 55 counts by Magistrate Helen Olayia in the Rundu Magistrate’s Court. The magistrate fined Kandumbu N$100 000 or five years’ imprisonment of which N$90 000 or four years were suspended on condition that she repays N$87 887 of the subsidy she received in 31 instalments of N$3 000 from November 27 2014, according to court documents in New Era’s possession.
Constitutional provisions of the country make her eligible to be sworn in as an MP, but such provisions are in sharp contrast to the outlines in the Swapo Party constitution.
Nghaamwa withdraws?
Another MP that was not sworn in was Ohangwena Governor Usko Nghaamwa who withdrew from the list.
Nghaamwa’s wife, Lucia, who is also on Swapo’s list, was part of the group of lawmakers that took the oath on Friday to serve the nation while her husband was seated in the public gallery observing proceedings.
After the ceremony, Nghaamwa refused to divulge details surrounding his resignation and promised to clear up in the near future as to why he opted to withdraw.
Speculation was rife that Nghaamwa would withdraw before the swearing in with many suggesting that the former governor of Ohangwena would most probably only accept a parliamentary seat on assurance that he would make it to Cabinet.
It is not clear whether Geingob will reinstate Nghaamwa as governor of Ohangwena.
Meanwhile, the end of former Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP) president Hidipo Hamunenya seems to have been resolved out of parliament after Mike Kavekotora, Agnes Limbo and Steve Bezuidenhoudt were sworn in to take up the party’s three seats in the National Assembly.
Hamutenya last week wrote to the National Assembly to inform them that he would take up his seat in the House as he was still the de facto leader of the RDP, but the party countered his argument and he was left out.