Lahja Nashuuta
The National Unity Democratic Organisation (Nudo) has agreed to file the current president, Ester Muinjangue, as the party’s presidential candidate for the upcoming Presidential and National Assembly elections, slated for 27 November 2024.
The decision is among the resolutions taken at the party’s electoral college held over the weekend. The party’s leaders met at Parliament buildings over the weekend to draw up the parliamentary list to be submitted as per national elections requirements.
Among the outcomes, the congress agreed to allow the current leadership to remain at the helm of the party until May 2025, whereby the party plans to host its electoral congress.
The party’s secretary general Joseph Kaundenge confirmed the decision, saying: “It was decided that I confirmed that the president and I, the SG, together with the entire leadership will continue to be in charge and lead the party through its campaigns,” he said. He told New Era that the party will only be able to host its elective congress next May when
the leadership will hand over power to the newly elected leaders.
Muinjangue and Kaundenge have in numerous occasions, been quoted declining nomination to be on the party’s parliamentary list, citing that everyone deserves a chance and that it is time for others to take over. The electoral college further resolved
that both president and secretary general will not be on the parliamentary list and will vacate their parliamentary seats when their time lapses in March 2025 and pave the way for the newly elected leadership to take over parliamentary duties. The electoral college elected Vetaruhe Kandorozu as number one and PK
Kazongominja is number two on the list.
City of Windhoek councillor Uaraa Uapingene, Mariana Christof and Olavi Haimbanga, a member of the Nudo Youth League, made it to the top five on the parliamentary list.
Unity
Muinjangue, a seasoned politician and academic on Saturday advised members to remain united in rebuilding the party. “The party constitution is clear that every member shall be obliged to promote the unity in the party at all levels and shall refrain from any activity that creates disunity, sectarianism and disruption of the services of the party. Therefore, let’s leave this room as a united force,” Muinjangue urged.
She further said: “Our position should not be how to get rid of X, Y and Z because if we do that, we are breaking the party. Our position should be: how do we work hard to increase our numbers so that we add A, B and C to X, Y and Z? Numbers are crucial,” she said.
“Numbers give you strength. Numbers give you power. Numbers contribute financially to the growth of the party. The more the numbers, the more seats in the National Assembly, and the more money you get from the treasury,” she said.
Muinjangue said the party needs funds to run party activities in the regions, to employ more people, to be mobile and more visible.
Tenure
Muinjangue said, against all odds, under her leadership the party managed to maintain its two seats in Parliament, grow the number of regional and local authorities’ seats as well as mainstream women into decision-making positions.
“Despite the challenges encountered from 2019 and onwards, Nudo as an alternative party is still relevant in the political domain of Namibia. I’m confident that we can get three seats, maintain and retain our four constituencies which are Okakarara, Omongua, Omatako and Otjinene. The party has potential, and opportunities are there to improve. We see great interest from regions such as Kavango, Zambezi and the north and the rest of the country,” said Muinjangue.
Hell on earth
Kaundenge described his term in the office as “hell”. “The five years in Parliament and as leaders of the party have not been easy. It was five years of hell, anarchy and internal turmoil caused by some disgruntled elements within the party,” Kaundenge said.
Recently, local media reported on the division within the party. A faction led by former football administrator Barry Rukoro last month claimed to have conducted its electoral college and endorsed Rukoro as their presidential candidate.
However, in an interview with New Era ahead of Saturday’s electoral college, Uapingene dismissed allegations that the party was divided, stating that there is only one Nudo that is recognised by the Electoral Commission of Namibia and that is the Nudo under the leadership of Muinjangue.