The Popular Democratic Movement is at a crossroads, with its leader, McHenry Venaani facing his sternest test yet.  

How he navigates the internal political storm within the centre-right party will determine how they perform at the national polls next year, local analysts predict. 

What is clear is that Venaani will contest to retain his current portfolio. It will be the third and final time for the 45-year-old politician to stand for the position, after retaining it unchallenged in 2019. Venaani wants to consolidate unity within the PDM rank and file, and also prepare for a smooth transition before hanging up his political gloves in 2029 when the party goes for another congress.

The seasoned political tactician also wants to position the PDM in a good shape for a possible opposition-led coalition government in 2025, should the ruling Swapo Party be removed from power. 

In April next year, the mother body will hold its congress, where whoever emerges as president will be the PDM’s flag-bearer during the 2024 presidential and National Assembly elections.

That congress is expected to be fierce, with some party bigwigs working around the clock to topple Venaani,

whose grip at its helm could reach 15 years if he wins in 2024.

“I will be running for congress to stabilise the party and take it to the [national] election. Two-and-a-half years going to the next elections, I shall be stepping down as the leader of the party to allow another person to take over the party, going forward,” he said.

Venaani first became president of the then Democratic Turnhalle Alliance (DTA) in 2013, which rebranded to the PDM in 2017, to, among others, shake off the pre-independence history associated with the DTA.

Venaani dismissed claims that he is clinging onto power.  Instead, he said, he propagated constitutional reforms which constrained those in leadership positions to just three consecutive terms, when others wanted to give him an unfettered reign.

“I personally do not intend to change the constitution to suit me otherwise,” he said during a recent interview, adding that he inherited a broke party which only had a single vehicle. 

Today, they boast a fleet of 45 cars. 

“As leader who has also led a ferocious process of taking the old party from the ashes and brought it here, obviously in my third term, I would be preparing the party towards a clear succession plan because I believe in building others,” Venaani said, stressing that the PDM has groomed leaders.

So far, there are no clear challengers for the top seat, apart from parliamentarian Vipuakuje Muharukua, who has allegedly told his close allies that he has no intentions to challenge Venaani. Asked if the party is not running the risk of emerging divided by holding an internal election during a national election year, Venaani said they have been there before, and emerged stronger.

Muharukua vs Venaani

While Venaani still enjoys admiration within the PDM, fellow lawmaker Muharukua is fast becoming a household name and a threat to that dominance. All indications are that Muharukua will challenge Venaani for the PDM presidency next year. Muharukua, this paper understands, enjoys support from both the young and elderly in the PDM. 

Muharukua was always seen as Venaani’s protégé and heir to his throne.

However, their relationship is now at an all-time low, and they do not see eye-to-eye.

Venaani, insiders say, regrets roping in Muharukua eight years ago, now that he is seen as the only hurdle between Venaani and a third term. Back in 2021, the now-defunct PDM youth league organised an elective congress, which would later collapse as the young turks were divided between Venaani and Muharukua. 

The second-largest political formation in the land is now without a youth league. 

A fortnight ago, Muharukua came out all guns blazing when he threw his weight behind Rally for Democracy and Progress leader Mike Kavekotora for the position of Ovaherero paramount chief (ombara otjitambi).

His justification was that Kavekotora would not sell out the polarised Ovaherero community.  

Whipped 

In the PDM corridors, talk is that Muharukua was reprimanded last week for daring Venaani, and he was removed as the party’s chief whip in the National Assembly.

He was replaced by veteran politician Elma Dienda, who was unchallenged in the election.

Newcomer Maximalliant Katjimune was elected as deputy chief whip of the PDM parliamentary caucus. Katjimune is said to be one of Venaani’s ‘blue-eyed boys’.

Muharukua has largely denied being interested in contesting for the PDM presidency, maintaining he only wants to see through his current parliamentary term.

Beyond his parliamentary term, it is said, the 40-year-old lawyer-cum-politician wants to revive his law career or focus on
farming. 

“I wished the honourable [Dienda], [the] new whip of the caucus, good luck and
strength in the role. It’s been a privilege indeed
to have served my colleagues. I will now gracefully focus on other duties,” was all he could
say.

However, New Era has it on good authority
that Muharukua and his inner circle are concocting a serious challenge to topple Venaani.

Pundits 

Analysts weighed in on the PDM’s internal power squabbles. Political scientist Rui Tyitende also zeroed into the possible showdown between Venaani and Muharukua. 

“Muharukua does not have the political currency of Venaani, and I believe he will be fighting a losing battle. Political contestation is part and parcel of the democratic process, but timing is crucial. Is it within the PDM’s interest to have a change in leadership in a year of national elections? What they need now is leadership stability to consolidate the party and spread its political tentacles,” he noted.

Tyitende said the PDM also faces external competition. “With the emergence of the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) in the political arena, it is unlikely that the PDM will retain their status as the official opposition,” he added.  Another analyst, lawyer Natjirikasorua Tjirera, said the PDM impasse should have been handled far better, especially when audio clips circulated attacking Muharukua, particularly by relatives of Venaani. 

“These audio clips were recorded by a PDM councillor and close relative of Venaani in the person of Rodman Katjaimo, who was not reprimanded for those clips, at least not in public. “With little over a year to go to
national elections, there is a need for decisive and sober leadership to deal with the impasse as soon as possible,” the lawyer reasoned. 

He also sees nothing wrong with
Muharukua challenging Venaani, which he said underlines the beauty of democracy. 

“Venaani himself challenged Katuutire Kaura several times before eventually taking over the leadership,” he added. 

On Muharukua’s political capital, Tjirera had this to say: “Muharukua has been a member of parliament for more than five years, and is a trained lawyer who owned a legal practice before leaving it to go to parliament. He has been chief whip of the party for some time now. “He exercised maturity of a high level when he mostly remained out of the public domain for the past few years, despite his name being dragged through the mud,” he continued.

No beef

On his part, Venaani maintained that he continues to enjoy a cordial, professional relationship with Muharukua.

“Muharukua is a young leader of the party that I marvel at; somebody that I brought up from the legal fraternity. He came in as a presidential nominee to the party, ran the ranks, and became the secretary of international relations and chief whip under my tutorship,” he said. Venaani also does not have personal problems with anyone in PDM, he added. “I don’t take politics personally. I don’t have beef with people or honourable Muharukua of any kind,” he claimed.

In fact, Venaani is ‘thrilled’ to be challenged by Muharukua or any other candidate next year. Asked if their relationship had indeed hit rock bottom, he retorted: “I am one of the leaders who would go down in history, in this party, as someone who brought leaders from nowhere. All these young people are people who are not supposed to be here [in parliament], structurally.

“But I was very deliberate to say, if we want to make this movement a successful movement, let’s try to get youth capital so that they take the party. Sometimes, they are too fast.”

Kunene factor

In the meantime, a PDM group from Kunene has written to the party’s leadership, voicing their concern about how the party is allegedly mistreating Muharukua.

The letter is dated 16 February, seen by this publication, and addressed to Venaani.

Muharukua hails from Kunene.

Their anger is primarily premised on Muharukua’s removal as chief whip.

“PDM, especially the top six, must be reminded once again that Kaokoland is still the stronghold of PDM. Therefore, let us be careful not to kick the ball on the wrong
side… Mistreating our indigenous son, honourable Muharukua, is a true betrayal of the people of Kaokoland who have been
faithful to this movement,” the group cautioned.

In a widely circulated audio clip, Venaani
is heard acknowledging the strategic importance of the Kunene region to the PDM, but says so are the other 13 regions.

“The PDM should never lose sight of the fact that Kaokoland is, without doubt, their biggest political support base,” Tjirera analysed the room. 

-emumbuu@nepc.com.na