ONGWEDIVA – The Namibia Economic Freedom Fighters (NEFF) says South Africa’s Economic Freedom Fighter (EFF) leader, Julius Malema and a daughter of Muammar Gaddafi are among high profile international figures that will witness the party’s political manifesto launch.
This is according to NEFF leader, Epafras Mukwiilongo.
Attempts to get confirmation from EFF about Malema’s supposed visit to Namibia proved futile this week.
However, Malema was previously quoted in local and South African media distancing himself from NEFF.
He earlier said NEFF and other people from the Democratic Republic of Congo approached him as they wanted to form a political parties in their countries affiliated to EFF but he advised them to go back to their countries and “do their things” as EFF was a South African political party and not an international party.
EFF’s spokesperson, Mbuyiseni Ndlozi also once said NEFF was not a project of the EFF, and maintained that his party is monitoring the situation closely after similar reports surfaced in the South African media.
“We are watching it closely but I can tell you that it is not our project. People in Namibia are independent, therefore you should talk to those comrades in Namibia,” he said.
Ndlozi, who is one of the EFF members of parliament, says his party’s appeal has spiraled beyond South Africa, something that the EFF leadership is pleased with.
“I hope our movement will appeal to the rest of the continent as well as the diaspora,” he said.
Mukwiilongo this week claimed that a number of people from the African political arena, including Malema and Ayesha Gaddafi, are invited to the launch, which is scheduled for October 11 in Windhoek.
Aisha Gaddafi, a former UN Goodwill Ambassador, and lawyer by profession, is the fifth child of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.
The 38-year-old Aisha was forced to flee Libya in 2011 after her father, who ruled Libya for 42 years, was killed during a political uprising in that country.
According to Mukwiilongo, his party has contacted Gaddafi’s daughter who is now based “somewhere in Niger”.
Mukwiilongo’s version of where Aisha lives contrasts the popular belief that she lives in Oman, where she and other members of the Gaddafi clan were granted asylum.
“Julius has already confirmed, he is going to be here (in Namibia) by the October 9, and we are waiting for Aisha to confirm tomorrow (today) afternoon,” he said.
“We are also expecting some people coming from Uganda, but they too will confirm their attendance by tomorrow.”
According to Mukwiilongo, Malema who is expected to come with a delegation, has a sole purpose of attending the manifesto and any journalist seeking interviews with the firebrand South African politician should arrange this through NEFF.
“NEFF and EFF are just like Swapo and ANC. They are EFF we are NEFF, we are not a franchise,” said Mukwiilongo.