WINDHOEK– Former Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Nahas Angula says he has done his part in government and feels it is time to retire and give others a chance to continue where he left off. The 71-year-old Angula did not contest a position at the weekend’s electoral college convention, which determined the list of Swapo politicians to enter the National Assembly next year.
Angula, whose withdrawal means he will not be in next year’s parliament, says he will venture into the training sector to help young unemployed Namibians acquire skills.
“I will become a social entrepreneur. I will go into the training sector to train young Namibians and equip them with skills,” Angula told New Era after the closing of the electoral college in Windhoek yesterday.
“I have done my part, one cannot be in the same place all the time so I decided that this time around I will not avail myself. I also wanted to give women an opportunity to compete among themselves. Equality is one of the values we fought for, therefore I attach great importance to it,” he said.
Angula said he was shocked by the outcome of the ruling party’s electoral college which saw Swapo veteran politicians such as Jerry Ekandjo, Uahekua Herunga, Joel Kaapanda, Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana and Isak Katali just making it onto the list. Others such as Richard Kamwi, Petrus Ilonga, Rosalia Nghidinwa, Theo-Ben Gurirab, Petrina Haingura, Samuel Nuuyoma, Ben Amathila, Willem Konjore, Mukwaita Shanyengana and Henock Ya Kasita failed to make it onto the party’s National Assembly list.
“I must say I was a bit surprised by the outcome but it seems the young people at the electoral college probably do not understand the contribution made by these people to bring the country where it is. But of course times change and the country cannot keep on hanging onto the past,” said Angula who served as the country’s Minister of Higher Education from 1995 to 2005.
“Democracy is about choice and people made their choices which eventually resulted in this outcome,” he said.
Asked what he made of the new faces that have pushed out the more familiar faces, Angula replied: “It is up to Namibians to decide whether they will place their confidence in the new people; if they [the electorate] say yes we will vote for Swapo then these people will have to shape up.”
Angula was a Swapo member of the Constituent Assembly in 1989. He has been a member of the National Assembly since 1990 and served as ministerial head at ministries such as Education, Sport, and Culture from 1990 to 1995 and Higher Education from 1995 until 2005. From 2005 to 2012 he served as the country’s third Prime Minister after which President Pohamba appointed him as Minister of Defence.