WINDHOEK – Although it runs the risk of losing close to 15 000 ex-Koevoet members who threatened to walk out if the party is rebranded, DTA says the former pro-colonial fighters will not be allowed to dictate the agenda of the party.
New Era reported yesterday that former Koevoet and SWATF fighters are flirting with the idea to quit DTA if the incoming official opposition party presses ahead with plans to rebrand the party.
DTA plans to rebrand itself in order to fit into the current political dispensation of the country and shake off perceptions that it collaborated with apartheid authorities before independence.
Party secretary general, Vinsent Kanyetu yesterday told the ex-Koevoet members that the party will not allow itself to be held at ransom by “people who are not even in the leadership of the party.”
“Of course we are ready to listen to their concerns if they approach us following the correct procedures instead of going through the media,” said Kanyetu.
“This party is for all Namibians and therefore we cannot only focus our attention on what the ex-Koevoet members want,” Kanyetu said, adding that DTA is a multi-agenda party.
“The party’s leadership has unanimously decided that the process should go ahead. We want the party to move forward but that cannot happen if the party is stuck in the past,” he said.
“That man [ex-Koevoet fighter, Jabulani Ndeunyema] should not confuse the nation and his allegations that Oshiwambo-speaking people are excluded in the leadership are baseless. He should not drive the party in the direction of tribalism,” warned Kanyetu.
“Democracy is all about the wishes of the majority and in this case the majority want the party to be rebranded, it is a pity he is part of the minority. He is not even a member of the executive committee,” Kanyetu charged.
Ndeunyema, the chairperson of Namibia War Veteran Trust (Namvet) told New Era on Tuesday that plans by the party to disassociate itself from the colonial regime is also a way of shunning former SWATF and KOEVOET members.
“They know that the reason they got five seats in parliament is because of the former SWATF and KOEVOET members who voted for them and we are part of the apartheid legacy. Now it looks like they are running away from us. They are confused, they are running away from the legacy but we will die in this legacy,” said Ndeunyema.