Martin-Olembe Antindi
The ruling party, which most of us proudly belong to as paid-up members, is undoubtedly in trouble. I have earlier aired my views through the media when I observed some dark clouds forming over the former liberation movement.
The prevailing ignorance and pretence are grave mistakes that party members are committing, especially those in leadership.
In this opinion piece, I want to direct my attention to the party regional political heads, which by the constitution are known as regional coordinators, which must be regulated.
From my observation, most of the regional coordinators are self-serving political opportunists and hypocrites that occupy regional leadership positions to serve themselves and their close friends.
Most regional coordinators’ representation to the party’s Central Committee (CC) is of neither political nor developmental significance to their regions but they go there to sell themselves and campaign their blind loyalty to Cabinet members in the CC.
This hungry mentality and self-interest limit the provision of competent leadership; as a result, opposition parties are now bypassing Swapo. Some regional coordinators are serving for more than 10 years. One wonders whether these coordinators are the only competent party members in their region to occupy that position or is it politics of the belly at play.
How these power-hungry coordinators keep themselves in power and control the regional executive committee is easy to understand.
During the regional restructuring, renewal of mandates, they make sure that only their preferred loyalists get elected as district coordinators.
These district coordinators, to safeguard their positions, do the same during the renewal of mandates for branch and section leaderships.
Don’t forget about the brown envelope.
They represent a new political business strategy; there is no fair or uncompromised election process in this political circus.
Namibia is a diverse country with a variety of ethnic groups, the issue of tribalism will always be prone to our country because of that, which we can still control.
Each of the 14 regions has a dominant ethnic group.
You cannot be an Oshiwambo speaker yet you have taken up a top leadership position whether a regional coordinator, or councillor in the
//Kharas or Hardap regions.
This is clear disrespect shown to the dominant tribe in that region.
It is morally wrong.
To save the party, let regional coordinators be regulated, and their term to not exceed 10 years in office.