As the campaign period reached the stage where political parties eagerly show off the size of their following and the conquests from opponents, many aspiring and established politicians have been switching to parties they were once diametrically opposed to.
A particularly large number of high-profile party-hoppers has been observed during this campaign.
This week, forex trader-turned-activist Michael Amushelelo set social media abuzz after failing to secure a favourable spot on the Landless People’s Movement (LPM)’s parliamentary list.
Amushelelo was 31st on LPM’s list and withdrew immediately, claiming he had not earned the spot.
Two days later, like the Biblical prodigal son, he was unveiled at a Namibia Economic Freedom Fighters’ (NEFF) press conference. He jumped from this party in July, following its deregistration by the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN).
Amushelelo’s line of argument is that he never defected the NEFF, but simply sought political asylum in the Orange Army.
He said it was a tactical move to sway attention from the NEFF as it fought tooth and nail against its deregistration, a battle it ultimately won.
Marriage
Also this week, Swanu – Namibia’s oldest political party – and a breakaway faction of the National Unity Democratic Organisation (Nudo) under the stewardship of former Namibia
Football Association secretary general
Barry Rukoro tied the knot. Through that arrangement, Rukoro reportedly features second on Swanu’s parliamentary list.
Earlier this year, two prominent members of parliament, former Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) lawmakers Vipuakuje Muharukua, and Henny Seibeb, who was the deputy LPM leader at the time, quit their legislative jobs to join the ruling party.
The duo was once highly-critical of Swapo, to the extent that they traded jabs and insults with senior members of the party they now call home. Both leaders are suddenly key figures championing the ruling party’s victory in this year’s presidential elections.
Another notable figure who switched parties was former information deputy minister Engel Nawatiseb, who made a cameo appearance in LPM this year. He would later renege on the move to rejoin Swapo, describing the LPM move as just a job opportunity he took with both hands.
A few days ago, the LPM’s former /Kharas regional councillor Gerrit Witbooi likewise joined Swapo.
The Affirmative Repositioning (AR) movement was not spared from the party-hopping trend either, with three of its members, Knowledge Iipinge, one of its founders Dimbulukeni Nauyoma, and Simon Amunime leaving the movement.
While Iipinge and Amunime were unveiled at Swapo rallies this year, Nauyoma is rumoured to have also joined Swapo.
People familiar with the arrangement state that Nauyoma is expected to be unveiled at one of Swapo’s planned star rallies.
Prostitution
Analyst Rui Tyitende raised concerns about what he referred to as “political prostitution,” calling it a worrisome trend.
“It is concerning, especially if it’s driven by self-interest, because these individuals moving from one party to another often criticise Swapo as a corrupt party. Yet, they still join the very same Swapo they have been criticising,” he opined.
The analyst warned against “politics of the belly.” “People are desperate, and they are in it for personal gain, promoting their own interests rather than acting out of ideological conviction, or because the other party has lost value. People are hungry,” he stressed.
Internal conflicts, divisions and a lack of transparency in the nomination processes for legislative and executive candidates are among the key reasons politicians switch parties.
AR leader Job Amupanda even accused some politicians of lacking political
backbone. He said they are treating political parties like “brothels.”
The country is facing a crisis of politics, with politicians diluting the essence of governance, causing ordinary citizens not to take them seriously, he added.
“Like the late Kazenambo Kazenambo once said, these guys are ruining the game for us,” he stated.
Friends to foes
“Politics in this country is like a joke. There are no longer people who are professional in politics and take it seriously, to the point that even ordinary citizens have given up and don’t take politicians seriously anymore. People just say that maybe every year should be an election year, because that’s the only way things happen,” said Amupanda.
He was quick to mention that he has nothing against the individuals who left AR, emphasising that his comments were about Namibian politics in general.
“Politicians in Namibia will never accomplish anything, fight for anything, or implement anything beneficial to the people because of the crisis in politics. What happened to principled leaders?” he questioned.
Sarcastically, he added that politicians may have disagreements today, only to be unveiled at a different party the next day.
“We have people sitting in parliament who have been in more than three political parties. Political parties are becoming more like brothels… open to all,” he said.
As for himself, he refused to be “paraded.”
AR spokesperson George Kambala confirmed Nauyoma’s resignation, though Nauyoma refused to comment on whether he has rejoined Swapo.
Hitting back
When approached for comment, Muharukua, who promised to provide a more detailed response, questioned who Amupanda was to judge, considering he had also left Swapo to form his own movement.
“I have not moved from one party to another. I left the PDM, and was without a party for a month before joining Swapo,” Muharukua said.
Contacted for comment on Tuesday, Seibeb could not immediately respond to questions. Approached for comment, Iipinge maintained that he has never been in any party other than Swapo.
The former Walvis Bay Urban constituency councillor said he resigned from AR in March this year. “AR was never a political party until they received their certificate two months ago, and I was not part of it by the time they received their certificate,” he elucidated.
Attempts to get comment from Nauyoma and Amunime have proven futile.
Meanwhile, Swapo presidential candidate Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has centred her campaign on bringing “home” former members who had strayed from the party.
“Anyone who unfortunately became a victim of the blowing wind, come back home,” reads some of her campaign materials.
Drawing board
When asked what could be done, Tyitende suggested that while it is important to return to the drawing board and take political interests seriously, there is only so much that can be done, as there are no political standards in place.
“Anyone can wake up and become a politician. There are no standards for recruiting or joining politics. Even though politics is at the core of governance, we allow anyone to become a councillor, a member of the National Assembly, or a minister. But are these people qualified to occupy these crucial positions?” he asked.
He said until competence and a solid knowledge base are prioritised in politics, little can be done to improve the situation.