RUNDU – The primary question as the country’s former official opposition party, DTA, prepares to hold its crucial elective conference this weekend is: Who will be its next president?
The eventual winner between incumbent secretary general, McHenry Venaani (36) and the incumbent president Katuutire Kaura (72) will contest the country’s presidency next year.
But there are a handful of other key issues to be deliberated before conference attendees cast their votes, a process which could make or break the party during its campaign for next year’s National Assembly and Presidential Elections.
The DTA conference, which kicks off this coming Saturday in Windhoek, will see the party’s central committee members from all regions voting for either Venaani or Kaura.
Party insiders tell New Era that there is a discord between the youth and elderly members of the party – a situation brought upon by the division of the elderly pro-Kaura camp and the youthful pro-Venaani camp – something that needs to be addressed.
The outcome of the battle this weekend will affect the entire party structures, and more so the lives of all Namibians should the DTA emerge victorious next year.
Seasoned political analyst Dr Andrew Niikondo said the DTA’s performance during next year’s elections could only improve if Venaani is voted into power.
“My observation is that the young man will win because he has a very strong backing among the youth. We should remember … the youth are the backbone of the party,” said Niikondo.
“It is evident that the veterans are backing Kaura, but I suspect Venaani will win because he is more active and has the backing of the youth,” said Niikondo. Niikondo noted that political parties in the county still have a lack of trust in the youth.
“The politics of the veterans is still the same because they do not trust the youth, but it is better to use the youth at your disposal for the benefit of the party since the elders are not as active,” he said.
“If DTA can incorporate the young guys, you will see a different DTA next year,” predicted Niikondo.
“The other thing is that Venaani cannot be in anyway linked to the apartheid regime like Kaura, which will be another bonus for the party if Venaani wins. Right now, the other parties use that tool to discredit the DTA by telling people not to vote for DTA because they collaborated with the apartheid regime,” he noted.
By Mathias Haufiku