While last year’s intraparty congress dust refuses to settle, party vice president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah says only a united Swapo can regain what it lost in the last elections.

After the last National Assembly and Presidential elections in 2019 and 2020, Swapo lost its two-thirds majority in the National Assembly, while its leader, President Hage Geingob’s popularity at the polls waned by at least 30%.

The ruling party also lost some key municipalities, such as Swakopmund, Walvis Bay and Windhoek. Regional councils, such as Hardap, //Kharas and Kunene were also taken away from the ruling party’s grip.

Addressing a rally in Rehoboth over the weekend, Nandi-Ndaitwah, NNN as she has come to be known, said only hard work can change Swapo’s fortunes.

“Now that the congress is over, we must all commit ourselves to hard work as a united people, being the only way we can gain back what we have lost in the 2019 and 2020 elections,” Nandi-Ndaitwah said in a statement provided to the media over the weekend.

Last year’s elective congress endorsed Nandi-Ndaitwah as the ruling party’s sole and authentic candidate for next year’s Presidential and National Assembly elections. 

She was pitted against Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila and tourism minister Pohamba Shifeta. 

However, stalwart Jerry Ekandjo, who was blocked from contesting for party vice presidency last year, is working around the clock to ensure an extraordinary congress is convened to nominate Swapo’s candidate for the 2024 presidential elections.

To internal forces attempting to throw spanners in the works, she said the will of the majority must be respected.

“Members of [the] Swapo Party have the obligation and duty to observe and comply with decisions, resolutions and directives of the majority, even though he or she might have voted against them or hold diverging opinions during the discussions.

“We must, therefore, all put aside whatever differences we may have exercised during the congress, including supporting different candidates, and work together with the elected leadership. I want to make it categorically clear that there was nothing wrong with supporting the candidate of your choice prior and during the congress,” Nandi-Ndaitwah said.

Seemingly hitting at Ekandjo’s crusade, NNN branded it “extremely politically wrong, counterproductive and unconstitutional for members of the Swapo Party to continue with campaigns after the congress has elected leaders”.

“I, therefore, urge all of us to soul-search ourselves and ensure we eliminate anything that may hamper the unity of our dear party. As a ruling party, we have the fundamental responsibility to serve the Namibian people – and that can only be done if and when we genuinely unite and work together as comrades,” she said.

Nandi-Ndaitwah, who doubles as the country’s foremost diplomat and deputy Prime Minister, then told the crowd of about 400 party loyalists of some key sectors critical for Namibia’s development.

“Agriculture, fisheries, mining and tourism, among others, are key 11 sectors where, as a nation, we must regard them as centre stages of development. 

As it stands now, key initiatives have been identified and are being implemented in line with the national developmental goals in order to create wealth for our people,” said the former tourism minister.

- emumbuu@nepc.com.na