Joshua R. Kaumbi
It is not an exaggeration to depart on the notion that Namibia has the potential to reach an acceptable level of prosperity and stability. A level acceptable to ourselves and the future generations. It, however, needs all of us to keep the telescope steady.
It is a trite fact that the third president of our Republic has no reason to lose sleep over his tomorrow, following in the footsteps of two extraordinary statesmen before him, who are enjoying their retirement and have the gratitude of the Namibian people. As a President, he kept the ship afloat amidst the rough waves of global recession, Covid-19, and all other intervening variables. I firmly stand on the notion that the president’s love for the Swapo-Party has ensured that the party trumped the noises before the day of today in an organised manner and spirit. After his tenure, 22 March 2025, as per our Constitution and himself, and at the right time and juncture, we will write about him, his time and love for the republic and his party.
Without derogating from the above, the President provided general oversight of the process of identifying his successor. This process he did without interference due to his democratic credentials. Whoever emerged victorious at the just-ended congress was voted in by the delegates through the procedures and processes established beforehand by recognised structures, organs and the same rabble-rousers. Democracy is the rule by the majority.
President Geingob as the overall head of the party had pronounced himself on more than one occasion on his party’s nominee, come 2024.
President Geingob has been quoted by the Windhoek Observer, a very reliable source when it comes to the thoughts of the President, as stating that.. “The appropriate time is not yet here, but they (Swapo Party) have decided that Nandi-Ndaitwah is the sole candidate to run for the 2024 presidential elections.”
In the same article, he called upon us, and rightly so, to “stop the rumours and causing fear, [as] the time is not yet here”. (Windhoek Observer, 13 Mar 2023)
In full view of the international community and when addressing the UN General Assembly, he once again clearly stated that “The current deputy prime minister (Nandi-Ndaitwah) has been selected by the ruling party to be the (presidential) candidate and very soon, after I leave in a year’s time, she might be the one to come and stand here,” (The Namibian newspaper, 23 September 2023)
The third president of our party is further on record as having distanced himself from the allegations “that he is attempting to block or impede Swapo party vice-president, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, from becoming the party’s candidate for the 2024 presidential elections”. (Informante, December 15, 2022)
It is thus abhorrent and strange that we still have noises, amidst this clear stance of the head of the party. In the past, we would suspect a third force for things that are irrational and illogical. Despite having had a standstill period, the extraordinary congress’ noisemakers elected not to challenge the process when it was challengeable. The train has left the station already. The only time our party had an extraordinary congress in an independent Namibia was never to endorse a presidential candidate, but to amend the constitution, and attend to other administrative arrangements.
The Swapo Party has since 2004 allowed its [duly-elected] vice president to automatically become presidential candidates, and anything different will be ‘political gender-based violence.’ (Ephraim Nekongo) The administrative head of the party, the only second person to have been re-elected as the secretary general of the Swapo Party, Sophia Nahango Shaningwa, clearly informed the party membership at the Sam Nujoma Stadium in November 2023 that she has not received instructions to call for an extraordinary congress, and that Netumbo Ndemupelila Nandi-Ndaitwah will be the party’s candidate of choice. This too should put the matter to bed permanently.
The stability of the Swapo Party and that of the country are inextricably linked. The president, in keeping with the party’s tradition and our Electoral Act, stated that at the right time, he will unveil the candidate as what we have seen, was in her own words the vice-president of the Swapo Party thanking the regions and not campaigning. As a long serving cadre of the movement, I am sure and certain that Netumbo Ndemupelila Nandi-Ndaitwah is alive to that inalienable truth that a campaign is preceded by the launch of the party manifesto, a document normally produced by the party as a whole.
There appears to be a deliberate, disingenuous and insidious effort to de-campaign the vice president of the Swapo party by ascribing to her accountability for donations made to party events, and accountability for government procurements outside her mandate. People donating to a rally mero motu, should not be attributed to the party, especially if there was no request from the secretary general or the main candidate. The same as the day-to-day procurement process for government assets ought not to be attributed to a candidate and used to insinuate her priority areas should she ascend to the presidency, which she should.
Notwithstanding the apriori, I subscribe to the school of thought that believes that at one time or the other and at a Swapo platform, the Swapo Party president should silence the noise publicly. This will put a stop to the process of playing dice for political expediency with our future.
A party of the calibre and history of Swapo ought not to be reduced to a construct where every noise finds solace, or is deliberately blind to the precedents we have established. There is nothing worth adjourning the engagement of the moment. We have dealt with many challenges in the past without calling a special family meeting, or summoning everybody back home. A free and fair contestation of the party’s leadership has always led to the renewal of the party, and an advancement of our nation’s developmental goals.
We rallied behind Hifikepunye Pohamba, despite late Hidipo Hamutenya and my friend Nahas Angula having lost. We too rallied behind Hage Geingob, despite veteran Jerry Ekandjo having lost. It will beg questions if we fail to rally behind Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, especially if Saara Nandjila Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, the closest competitor at the time, clearly and unequivocally announced the resolution of the last congress with regard to the Swapo Party candidate for next year’s election at a rally in Outapi in September 2023.
A party which has been in existence since time immemorial and is credited with having established the democratic order and norm, cannot at all be left to the dictates of social media.
We should ready comrade Netumbo Ndemupelila Nandi-Ndaitwah to hit the ground running, come March 2024, given that “…her…. task going ahead is heavy” when the campaign season starts next year (Geingob). Rain clouds gather, the buds of spring are at hand, let her bloom a thousand times, and feed millions. Comrade Netumbo Ndemupelila Nandi-Ndaitwah seems to know how to gather everyone around the table.
*Joshua Razikua Kaumbi is a holder of a BA Political Science and Sociology (Unam), LLB (Stellenbosch), and is an admitted legal practitioner, still enjoying a legal sabbatical, expressing his opinions in his capacity as a Namibian citizen.