Former Popular Democratic Movement lawmaker Vipuakuje Muharukua has joined the ruling Swapo Party as an ordinary member.
Muharukua has also thrown his support behind Swapo’s presidential candidate, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, as his preferred candidate to take over the highest office in the land in November.
The 40-year-old lawyer made this announcement late yesterday at a press conference attended by Swapo bigwigs, including deputy secretary general Uahekua Herunga, deputy ministers Jenelly Matundu, Bernadette Jagger and Lucia Witbooi, Kunene governor Marius Sheya, and that region’s Swapo coordinator, Julius Kaujova.
“I am going to give my vote to Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah. She will deliver. Fellow Namibians, voting for Nandi-Ndaitwah is the most logical thing to do. I urge you all to do the right thing. If one removes all tribal and regional inclinations and other undue considerations premised on distributive posturing, her excellency Ndaitwah is the most qualified to usher us into a new era,” he said.
“On 20 June 2024, I have become a cardholding member of the Swapo Party. I implore all Namibians to think rationally about Namibia. Let us not allow this nation to be emotionally manipulated into throwing away the gains of the past three decades,” said Muharukua, who was not so long opposing the Swapo-led government from the opposition benches in the National Assembly.
To this end, he said, where political interests converge in the best interest of the nation, politicians who are diametrically opposed can sit under one roof.
“In as far as I am concerned, when that interest is the interest of Namibians and how Namibians are perceived globally, how individual Namibians are empowered, then I would agree that that interest is permanent,” said Muharukua.
The politician then denied agitating against the Swapo-led administration over the past 10 years as an MP.
Instead, he said, he was advocating for the wishes and aspirations of Namibians, irrespective of their political affiliations.
“There were things that I was fighting for, for Namibians. Regardless of whether I am wearing a Swapo scarf or no scarf at all, just as a normal legal practitioner, joblessness affects us all. I am a farmer. I want to modernise my farming. I want to be able to buy a ring that is made in Namibia - value-addition. So, the agitation was not against a certain political party. I would wish that you went back to my statements, and challenged me with them. We fight issues. We don’t fight individuals,” Muharukua maintained.
Welcome comrade
Rejoicing in the development, Herunga said an official unveiling of Muharukua as one of the latest high-profile recruits beckons for the Kunene region, where he hails from.
“I knew it would happen because he is a man of action and results. I am quite aware that Swapo is the only political party that is results-oriented in this country. Therefore, he cannot stay in political parties that are good at talking, good at rhetoric, but not results-oriented to develop the country and the region where he comes from,” he said.
While elated, Herunga and Swapo also have their eyes fixated on toppling the PDM from Kunene, a region in which it has enjoyed dominance since time immemorial.
“Because he is from there, he has parents [and followers] who want to join, and we want to make an impact in the region. Those are the two sole reasons why we want to get him there,” Herunga said.
PDM reacts
Reacting to the news, PDM leader McHenry Venaani was unperturbed, wishing Muharukua well in his endeavours.
It is Venaani’s conviction that every Namibian has a right to find a political home of their choosing.
However, he hastened to say he finds it difficult to respect leaders without principles.
“I admire people who leave with principles intact; I am leaving this party because it is not serving my interests here. You can’t be a candidate of that party, running for elections, printing posters illegally, and campaigning the whole country, but after realising that your numbers are not even picking up 3% of the whole country and invoking colleagues, now the party is bad. I don’t respect people like that,” Venaani stated.
“Vipuakuje is in the same [Katuutire] Kaura WhatsApp group. A matter of sour grapes. You couldn’t become president; therefore, PDM is no longer the right party.
“Don’t wait until you can’t get what you want, and suddenly you have principles. Those who don’t have principles don’t impress. I was offered many jobs by Swapo; ask [former president Hifikepunye] Pohamba. I am a very steadfast leader,” he said.
Venaani continued that PDM’s critics and naysayers, including Muharukua, are in for a rude awakening.
“PDM is not going to be moved by Muharukua. In fact, we are going to show him how resilient we are,” Venaani said.
Corruption
On Muharukua’s assertion that Namibia will be safe in Nandi-Ndaitwah’s “clean hands”, Venaani was baffled.
He added: “Swapo is the only political party in front of courts for corruption in the country, and now people are telling us it is clean. How is it clean?”
Analysis
Weighing into the political storm, independent political analyst Rui Tyitende said it was no surprise that a former PDM lawmaker has joined Swapo, while another senior figure in the opposition, in the form of erstwhile Landless People’s Movement deputy leader Henny Seibeb is reportedly also flirting with Swapo.
“For those who have been following our political landscape, Muharukua has been flirting with Swapo for quite some time now, if his social postings are anything to go by. Nonetheless, it’s his constitutional right,” Tyitende said.
However, optics in politics are key, the analyst hastened to say.
“But what does this mean for the opposition? Again, the basis of their ideological outlook and campaign strategy might be put in disarray because someone of the calibre of Vipuaa - someone might argue that he didn’t have a constituency - but one can also make an argument that he was not a lightweight,” Tyitende read the political atmosphere.
He added, “Should we also expect him [Seibeb] to join Swapo because he’s actually pursued the same modus operandi as Vipuaa? So, is this an orchestrated move, or is it a coincidence? I believe there are no coincidences in politics.”