Omuthiya
Swapo Party coordinator for Oshikoto Region, Armas Amukwiyu, says the current Swapo Party Youth League (SPYL) leadership needs to have an honest discussion on issues haunting it, including the process of grooming young politicians to take over the reins within the ruling party and eventually the instruments of state power.
“As young people, we have so much energy. As a result our excitement is also very high. Sometimes as young people when we do things we do it out of excitement, but people from outside may think we are enemies – it’s probably just a matter of excitement,” said Amukwiyu in an interview with New Era at his offices in Omuthiya.
“We are full of energy and want to do things immediately and in the process end up making mistakes if we don’t manage our processes very well,” he said.
Amukwiyu strongly believes that the question of generational change has to be managed. He spoke of youths’ readiness to take over from the group of ageing politicians sometimes known as the ‘Tanga-group’, who are eventually bowing out of politics.
“Our elders who fought to bring about independence are now phasing out because of age and nature is calling. I think the challenge we have as a party is to manage this generational change. To pass on the responsibilities of leadership of the party and eventually the country.”
“Within the current leadership of the SPYL we have the national executive committee and central committee, and perhaps it is just a matter of us as a party youth league to sit down and think critically about this issue and try to find a way to speak to youth leaders – especially within the ruling party – to get serious and realise that time has come for us take over the leadership.”
He stressed that the SPYL has in the past produced excellent leaders such as environment minister Pohamba Shifeta, current MP Veikko Nekundi and finance deputy minister Natangwe Ithete.
Amukwiyu also said the youth league wing, just like the mother party, should smoke out all Affirmative Repositioning (AR) movement members and sympathisers.
“Swapo has a challenge within itself which it must address because we cannot have members of the SPYL who are also members of the AR.”
“Like the situation of SPYL, but I must admit we have a challenge, especially when it comes to the positions of the wing.”
“We must as members of the party discuss issues from within and be able to receive criticism as long as it is in the interest of the party,” said Amukwiyu.