Lahja Nashuuta

Utjiua Muinjangue wants to continue leading her party, which heads to a decisive electoral college this weekend to identify its prospective candidates for the National Assembly.

“As a leader, I should also set that example and follow in the footsteps of great politicians such as the late Nelson Mandela who served his time, and said ‘Yes, as a democrat, I’m giving a chance to others to lead’. So, that’s it. I will serve as a member of the party. I can still provide guidance and advice where needed.”

Those were the words of National Unity Democratic Organisation (Nudo) leader Muinjangue in a May interview with this publication.

Like the proverbial good dancer who knows when to leave the stage, she at the time stated that she was ready to vacate the Nudo presidency to pave the way for a new leader.

However, she has reportedly reneged on her stance to hang up her political gloves, and wants to continue leading the party.

New Era further understands that senior party members indicated their confidence in her, and want her to contest for the party presidency, unopposed. “I have said I will not stand, and if senior members and many branches want me to stand, I am not aware of that,” she said when contacted about her candidature. She reiterated: “I said, after the congress, I will not stand, but the congress didn’t take place. Hence, the status quo remains, and I’m still the president of Nudo”. Some Nudo members claim that Muinjangue deliberately called off the party’s elective congress to remain in power. In July, despite splashing close to N$1 million, of which N$300 000 was reportedly borrowed to fill the budget deficit, Nudo failed to pull off an elective congress.  At the time, she cited safety concerns as the chief reason for their decision to indefinitely call off the congress. The failed congress, for some members, has left what is being interpreted by certain quarters as a leadership vacuum.  “Nudo’s electoral college has not taken place yet. What was cancelled was the electoral congress. The failure of the congress should not be attributed to the current leadership. We did what any reasonable person would have done. The congress was disrupted by forces well-known to you, I suppose,” she stated.

Muinjangue’s grip 

However, sources close to the party told New Era that the house is divided, with the majority pushing for all positions on their parliamentary list to be opened for contestation, including position number one. On the other hand, there is a group of senior members who are pushing for Muinjangue’s endorsement as number one on the list, without breaking a sweat. Prior to the electoral college, the party’s politburo is expected to convene tomorrow to call for a national council meeting, which will draw up the procedures for the electoral college. 

Insiders state that unlike in the previous elections, where positions one to five were reserved for the president, secretary general, secretary for the women’s league and secretary general for the youth league, a push has gone into overdrive to open all slots for competition.

“The agenda that we are pushing now is that all positions should be open for contestation, including the first position that in the past used to be reserved for the elected president; which means that the possibility is that the president might not be in Parliament,” said a person with intricate knowledge about Nudo’s affairs. So far, party vice president Peter Kazongomuinja, Windhoek deputy mayor Joseph Uapingene and former Okakarara constituency councillor Vetaruhe Kandorozu have registered their presidential contestation interests.

Another faction has already elected former Namibia Football Association secretary general Barry Rukoro as party president.

Few people were also elected into senior leadership positions of the party, an act which was condemned by the current leadership. 

It is reported that the current leadership since then took the Rukoro faction to court, citing the violation of the party’s constitution, and the illegal occupation of the party’s head office in Windhoek. 

They also want to stop them from using the party logo and letter. The two factions do not see eye-to-eye. -lnashuuta@gmail.com