Obrein Simasiku
Omuthiya-Swapo regional coordinator for Oshikoto, Armas Amukwiyu, said on Tuesday he was “unable to gather courage” to inform delegates that the party regional conference, originally scheduled for yesterday, had been postponed.
This was after Swapo secretary-general Nangolo Mbumba directed that no such conference should take place before several processes, including vetting of candidates and supervision of such process by national leaders assigned to Oshikoto, were complied with.
Mbumba said the Swapo politburo is also currently looking into the issues of Oshikoto and no conference should be held until the body has pronounced itself on the various matters.
Amukwiyu, in a letter to Mbumba on Tuesday, said he did not have the courage to inform delegates and service providers, some of whom had already arrived at Omuthiya, to go back home.
Amukwiyu said the regional executive committee of the party is tasked to convene regional conferences and the decision was made to slate the conference for yesterday.
This is the second time the regional conference for Oshikoto is postponed, and Amukwiyu expressed his dismay at such delays.
The first regional conference was to take place last week Saturday. It was however shifted because irregularities were apparently detected, such as that some key documents were faxed but their content invisible. Other reasons cited were that some of the delegates did not submit all the necessary documents and also missing was the summary report’s cover letter from the regional coordinator indicating which positions would be contested and by whom.
Amukwiyu said he did not understand why the conference was postponed again, adding that there was merit for the first postponement.
“The issue of leaders not managing to be present is not true, because we had a confirmation of three leaders prior to setting up the date,” he said yesterday as he briefed delegates on the decision from party headquarters to postpone the conference.
“In terms of today [Wednesday], I spoke to the head of the vetting committee and [I was] informed the names [of those] contesting the three positions have already been vetted and cleared, then handed to the secretary-general’s office. So we don’t know where the problem is,” stated Amukwiyu.
“I am equally disappointed like all of you here today. I don’t understand these new developments and misunderstandings. If there are questions to be asked that need answers, I am equally without answers to those questions.”
“Therefore, let’s unite and fight the common enemy of progress together,” he said.
“We did not want to be seen as undisciplined, hence we adhered to our elder, and decided to hold in on the 15th.”
Amukwiyu said Swapo must outlive all its members. “It should be known that we are creatures that are not meant to live forever. One day one of us will be no more, but then the party should remain firm and continue existing and become stronger for the good of our country.”
Among those who showed up at yesterday’s cancelled regional conference was Dr Ngarikutuke Tjiriange, a former cabinet minister and party secretary-general.
“Fight for the country and not an individual. An individual will be gone and you will remain in the country. When your country is not there you will end up becoming a refugee. So fight for what is good for the country,” advised Tjiriange.