Swapo stalwart and ex-Cabinet minister Jerry Ekandjo has accused party leaders of wanton disregard and violation of the former liberation movement’s constitution, rules and procedures. 

As a result, he asserted during an interview, the party continues losing popularity among the masses, hence its electoral decline in recent years. His remarks came days after the party’s highest decision-making body between congresses—the central committee (CC)—resolved to endorse party vice president (VP) and president-elect Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah as the sole candidate for the party’s presidency at next week’s extraordinary congress. 

Contests 

“The constitution does not allowfor automatic promotions. You cannot inherit positions in Swapo. There were those who wanted to defend the party’s constitution, and those who defended the president [Hage Geingob]. One cannot be endorsed into a position they don’t occupy. It is not true that positions in Swapo are filled through endorsements,” he added. However, Ekandjo’s version was disputed by party deputy secretary general Uahekua Herunga. 

“To claim that positions in Swapo are being inherited is a wild allegation. There is no such thing in Swapo. So, in this case, there is no position being inherited. It’s a pure white lie,”Herunga said. 

He continued, “You all know that going into the 2022 congress, the central committee agreed that Geingob should be the sole candidate for the Swapo presidency position. Was it not so? Geingob was never challenged.”  It is further Herunga’s position that the same applies to Nandi-Ndaitwah ahead of next week’s congress. “This is a norm in Swapo. No constitution has been violated. Each structure in the party has the right to endorse a candidate. 

Therefore, the politburo recommended to the central committee that the candidate to replace the late Geingob is Nandi-Ndaitwah, and that she be the sole candidate. This recommendation was then agreed to by the central committee. The same happened during Hage’s presidency, Pohamba when he was going for his second term, and Nujoma. Comrade Ekandjo knows these things. For him to come and claim that these things are foreign is pure dishonesty.”

He added that this was so even during FoundingPresident Sam Nujoma’s time at the helm of the party before stepping down in 2007. In 2002, despite an endorsement by Nujoma, the floor was opened for potential challengers of former vice president Hifikepunye Pohamba for the position. 

He, however, went to that congress unchallenged. At the hotly-contested extra ordinary congress in 2004, when the party had to identify a presidential candidate to succeed Nujoma at the national poll, Pohamba was still challenged despite being party vice president, he continued.

That year, party vice president Pohamba saw off competition from late Swapo stalwarts HidipoHamutenya and former prime minister Nahas Angula in a contest which required a re-run. Four years later, Ekandjo recalled, the floor was once again opened for the top positions.

2007 

Reports at the time stated that Ekandjo, who enjoyed significant popularity among his comrades, was asked to withdraw from the Swapo vice president position. He reportedly obliged. This then paved the way for late president Geingob to contest for the position unchallenged. 

eingob had just returned from the political wilderness, following his 2002 fallout with Nujoma. Meanwhile, no one challenged for the presidency position, despite the floor once again being opened for nomination and secondment, leaving Pohamba as the only candidate. 

During the interview,Ekandjo declined to answer questions about his withdrawal or whether he now regrets the decision, which could have catapulted him into pole position to succeed Pohamba. This is because whoever was going to win the VP position at the next congress would become Swapo’s poster child and presidential candidate at the 2014 presidential election. 

2012 

In 2012, again, Pohamba endorsed Geingob as his preferred candidate for the VP. This time, Geingob faced stiff competition from Ekandjo and Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana. He saw off his competitors. However, in 2015, Pohamba would vacate the Swapo presidency, handing over the party’s constitution and tools of power to Geingob. This, according to Ekandjo, was unconstitutional, as positions in the party are not inheritable. Calls then grew from certain party members to call for an extraordinary congress to fill Pohamba’s void and complete the remainder of his term. This never happened.

2017 

Fast forward to the 2017 congress, which saw slate politics dominate, with Geingob’s Team Harambee going toe-to-toe against Team Swapo. Ekandjo was part of Team Swapo, and once again challenged Geingob. That congress was also marred by allegations of vote-buying and election-rigging. In the end, Team Harambee annihilated its competition, sealing all top four positions and a greater chunk of central committee seats,effectively pushing Team Swapo into a state of permanent paralysis.  Swapo rules and procedures, he continued, must be respected by all. 

Ekandjo furthermore hastened to say he is alive to the reality that those who speak out publicly about the alleged abuse of the party’s procedures have earned a bad reputation among the powers that be and journalists and political commentators. They are accused of being power-hungry. He then moved to clarify that his interests lie in defending the Swapo constitution, for which he was imprisoned, and others fought for and paid the ultimate price. 

Ekandjo said he has tried internal channels, but his concerns have fallen on deaf ears. 

Frozen 

What is more, media reports have suggested that when Nandi-Ndaitwah vacates the Swapo vice presidency next week,the position should be frozen until the next ordinary congress in 2027. That is a thorn in Ekandjo’s flesh, who believes it is unconstitutional. “No position shall be filled by automatic promotion or acclamation. All positions shall be contested through election by secret ballot,” he contended, while reading from Swapo’s documents. 

“Why is the constitution being applied selectively? Why are they freezing the VP position? They are violating the constitution. 

You cannot reserve a position for a person. What goes around, comes around,” the veteran politician said. Meanwhile, Herunga quashed insinuations that any position was being put on ice. 

In fact, the position of Swapo vice president is not vacant to begin with, he said. Should Nandi-Ndaitwah assume the presidency position as planned, she will have to vacate the VP portfolio. “When do we cross the bridge? It is when we get there.So, once the position of Swapo vice president becomes vacant, then you can ask me that question. I cannot discuss a position that is not vacant,” he observed.

–emumbuu@nepc.com.na