Albertina Nakale
Windhoek-The Swapo Party Youth League (SPYL) has urged President Hage Geingob to make known the names of his preferred candidates at the upcoming Swapo congress so that it vigorously campaigns for them. SPYL’s new spokesperson Dumeni Gerson said the youth wing is itching to know who the candidates are so that it rallies behind its preferred ones without fear and favour and to ensure that the wishes and aspirations of the majority of the people are realised.
“We request the preferred candidates for the secretariat. We are saying, as a youth league, if the politburo pronounces itself come Friday, those are the people we are going to rally behind as a youth league,” Gerson told journalists at a press conference yesterday.
“We have nominated candidates from the youth league that we are pushing for central committee.
So, what we are asking from our elders is also to support us and ensure young people emerge at that platform so we can develop this country.”
The Swapo politburo is expected to convene a meeting tomorrow where nominations for congress candidates for the top-four positions, names president, vice-president, secretary-general and deputy secretary-general, would be made before central committee reviews such nominations.
During the just ended 6th SPYL congress held in Katima Mulilo, the youth wing endorsed President Hage Geingob as the sole candidate for the presidency of Swapo. There have been views in other quarters of the party that the race be opened up so that those interested in challenging for the party presidency may do so.
SPYL also said its team is on the ground in Katima Mulilo to investigate the recent wave of land grabbing after the town council and the police last Thursday demolished about 100 illegal structures at the Lwanyanda compound.
SPYL secretary Ephraim Nekongo during a press conference yesterday could not divulge more details but confirmed there was such an investigation.
New Era understands the youth league will also study alleged remarks by new Katima Town Council CEO Raphael Liswaniso who is reported to have said that urban land is not for the poor as it cost money to own it. Those who cannot afford to buy should stay on communal land instead of grabbing land, he allegedly said.
It was reported that Liswaniso, whose remarks sparked national anger, is said to have vowed to continue demolishing illegal structures at Cowboy, Macaravan West and East as well as Mahohoma compounds at the far-eastern border town.