RUNDU – Founding Kavango West Swapo coordinator David Hamutenya aims to strengthen the party’s regional structures and improve the capacity of elected leaders if elected to the position of deputy secretary general.
“This, I believe, will encourage the elected leaders, sustain and grow our party in the long run. This is what I want to bring to the position and extend it to the 14 political regions,” Hamutenya said in an interview with New Era.
“The servanthood leadership style is based on the ideals that leaders prioritise serving the greater, common good. As a proponent of servant leadership, I undertake to work hand-in-hand with the secretary general to ensure that our office promotes servanthood leadership style approach across the country.”
Hamutenya, who is standing against Evelyn !Nawases-Taeyele, Lucia Witbooi and Uahekua Herunga, said he values the privilege bestowed on him to have been nominated as one of the four aspirant candidates for the position of the DSG of Swapo during the upcoming seventh national congress in November 2022.
The aspiring DSG said elected party leaders ought to serve with humility, dedication, and compassion so that the rank and file of the party as well as citizens can continue to have faith and trust in the party and its government. “Citizens under the servanthood leadership environment are more likely to feel that their voices are heard, and thus will continue to put their trust in Swapo Party,” he said.
Inclusivity achieves prosperity for all. “Namibia is a diverse country, which I appreciate. We are a diverse community in terms of gender, race, colour, education, language, creed, and sexual orientation amongst others. Thus, I am of the view that we need to continue with the mantra of inclusivity to reflect our diversity.”
Hamutenya further stated that it is a known fact that inclusivity breeds unity, unity in turn promotes harmony amongst the citizenry.
“Unity and harmony are key ingredients we as leaders need to constantly promote to ensure shared prosperity for all,” he said. Hamutenya joined Swapo at a tender age through the Namibia National Students Organisation (Nanso) and Swapo Party Youth League (SPYL) in the 1980s. His activism started at Rundu Junior Secondary in 1983 by organising the famous students’ demonstrations against the injustices at the time during the period from 1987 – 1989 in Rundu, and at Kahenge Primary School where he served as a teacher, respectively. “This spirit and convictions propelled me to be elected in various portfolios throughout my life. Notable positions include Swapo section secretary, branch secretary, district information and mobilisation officer, and eventually as Swapo regional councillor for Mpungu constituency from 2004 to 2010,’’ he said.
Moreover, he also served as Namibia National Teachers Union (Nantu) national resource trainer from 1999 to 2004. “The skills and experience gained over the years made me an effective founding Swapo regional coordinator of the newly created Kavango West region in 2014 to date. With my dedicated team, we managed to eliminate the opposition from Nkurenkuru town council in 2015 to date,” he said.
– jmuyamba@nepc.com.na