Kuzeeko Tjitemisa
WINDHOEK- Self-proclaimed secretary general of Nudo, Josie Kauandenge says ‘former’ party president Asser Mbai shot himself in the foot when he declared last weekend’s elective congress officially open last Friday.
Addressing the media, Kauandenge said: “I am not happy with the distortion from our various media institutions in this country that continues to portray Mr Asser Mbai as still the president of Nudo.”
”He is no more the president of Nudo and that fact must be very clear when you report about this,” said a defiant Kauandenge.
He said the current term of office of the party’s last most recent leadership came to an end on the 28th of February this year.
Kauandenge says since the expiration of that leadership’s term of office, Mbai operated in a vacuum as he did not seek endorsement from any structures of Nudo to continue leading.
According to Kauandenge, a nomad of Namibian opposition politics, Mbai officially ceased to be Nudo president the moment he opened the congress last weekend.
“When you say legally ‘I hereby declare this congress officially open’ then you are saying all positions have become vacant and it is now the function of the congress to elect the new leadership,” Kauandenge fumed.
New Era reported on Monday that the party’s elective congress was abandoned after violence erupted in a battle for positions.
The party is divided into two camps, with members supporting Vetaruhe Kandorozu for the Nudo top position (presidency) calling themselves ‘VK 100%’ and those supporting Utjiua Muinjangue calling themselves ‘Team Nudo’.
The dispute was the alleged deliberate attempt by the current Nudo secretary general and VK 100%’s preferred candidate for the SG position, Meundju Jahanika, blocking some 120 delegates, supposedly belonging to Team Nudo – claiming to represent some certain branches from Aminuis Constituency and Erongo Region – from participating in the congress.