WINDHOEK– Nudo Member of Parliament, Arnold Tjihuiko’s resolve will be tested when the opposition party holds its electoral college this weekend to draw up its list of National Assembly candidates.
A group within Nudo has been baying for Tjihuiko’s blood, sometimes literally, in recent years but the Nudo MP had always enjoyed the backing of late party leader, Kuaima Riruako.
A few years ago, the party’s youth wing wrote a letter to Riruako in which they proposed a vote of no confidence in Tjihuiko and urged the National Executive Committee (NEC) to recall him from the National Assembly.
A police case was also opened after Tjihuiko received death threats from anonymous individuals who urged him to quit the party.
Riruako roped Tjihuiko into Nudo circles after appointing him as one of his 10 chief’s appointees in 2004. Tjihuiko is currently serving his second term in the National Assembly.
Party insiders claim that Tjihuiko will find the going tough over the weekend, after the death of Riruako this year.
“The thing is Tjihuiko was always by the chief’s side and wanted to keep others away from the chief. Even after the chief’s death, he still seems to prefer to be on his own. But who knows, maybe the delegates will vote for him so that he can make it high onto the list,” said the source.
Tjihuiko declined to indicate whether he would avail himself for the list.
“Every party member has the right to elect and be elected, the decision rests with the delegates to decide who they want as their representative,” he said.
The party only managed to gain two of the 78 parliamentary seats during the 2009 elections.
The party’s deputy secretary general, Vetaruhe Kandorozu confirmed to New Era that the Nudo electoral college would take place this coming Saturday in Windhoek.
“The party’s executive committee will meet on Friday to discuss the agenda for the college and a date for the manifesto launch will also be proclaimed,” Kandorozu said.
Kandorozu said there would be no advance submission of names because nominations will be done from the floor. He said the party would be eyeing a minimum of five parliamentary seats during the National Assembly election slated for November.
Candidates who are expected to make it high onto the list this time around include incumbent party president Asser Mbai; secretary for Nudo Women’s League Utjiua Muinjangue; Kavango and Zambezi chairpersons Anna Mutonda and Dirk Tibishe respectively, as well as Leonardville councillor Marianna Christoph.
The party’s youth wing secretary, Owen Tjiramba is expected to make it into the top ten for the youth.
Nudo will for the first time go to the polls without Riruako and it remains to be seen how they will fare this time around.
Tjihuiko survived several attempts to recall him from parliament, but the party told New Era in July that Tjihuiko’s position was under no threat even after the death of Riruako.
Riruako is said to be the one who defended Tjihuiko through thick and thin when the youth league was baying for his blood.