The National Unity Democratic Organisation is a political formation at war with itself.

A splinter group announced they will hold an elective congress to identify party leaders to marshal the ship for the next five years.

This faction, New Era has established, has not only threatened to elect new leaders tomorrow, but has already taken charge of the Nudo national headquarters along the famous Clemence Kapuuo Street in the heart of Katutura.

The group is also accused of illegally changing locks on the party’s office gates and doors, and ejecting party employees from the premises.

This faction is headed by Tjizapouzeu Uahupirapi, who is also part of a group of 12 members who were suspended by the party last weekend.

Suspended alongside Uahupirapi are chief Rukambe Uazukuani of Okamatapati, George Muesee, Samuel Kaijata, Ngavipangurue Makari, Lazarus Kaapama, Nduno Mbaha, Ernie Putuaota, Mbahimua Kamukuendjandje, Okeri Uakurama and Clay Katjihingua, as well as the party’s Okakakara branch coordinator, Moses Veziruapi Kangumba.

The group has allegedly appointed themselves as interim Nudo leaders.

This is all while another faction, led by party president Utjiua Muinjangue, maintains that they are the sole and authentic leadership of the party.

The two opposed factions do not see eye-to-eye, nor do they recognise each other.

Police intervention

Amid the storm, Nudo lawmaker and secretary general Josef Kauandenge confirmed roping in the Namibian Police to assist with removing members of the breakaway group from the party’s office in Katutura, which they allegedly took over through force.

With the party’s head office currently under the unsanctioned occupation of the Uahupirapi-led group, Kauandenge and his secretariat have been forced to run all party affairs from Parliament.

“We are running the party from Parliament these days, and no one was injured in the process [during the illegal occupation of the head office]. We are busy dealing with the matter with the owner of the house, as we are just renting it. We have opened a police case, and maybe this week or next week we should resolve this issue [removing the breakaway group],” he briefly shared.

Unperturbed

Meanwhile, Uahupirapi and his group are unshaken by the likelihood of running into the law, saying they are ready to challenge Kauandenge and the current leadership at all levels.

He said their mission is to restore order within Nudo, which is bigger than individual ambitions.“We are not bothered by the police or whoever is coming for us,” he said. 

Unrepentant in his resolve and demeanour, he further threatened that if the owner of the rented property does not change his posture towards them, they will be forced to find ways to terminate the party’s rental agreement with him, and move out.

“He must also understand that Nudo, as an entity, is the one renting his property, and not Kauandenge. 

So, he must change his attitude, deal with the party that went into an agreement with him since 2003, and not entertain individual threats. We are taking back our party from these people. Soon, we will hold a congress to elect a new leadership. Already over 394 delegates have shown their readiness to attend the planned congress,” Uahupirapi further buttressed.

Congress 

As for the planned congress, Kauandenge said they are unfazed, and have no reason to panic, as the outcomes of Uahupirapi’s envisaged congress will not be recognised, nor will it have any legal standing as far as Nudo’s operations are concerned.

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.

That failure now has a huge financial and credibility cost, and further shattered the party’s unity.

That failure, for some members, has left a leadership vacuum.

Nudo, it now appears, is for the taking.

“Kauandenge and his team must understand that their powers and rights over Nudo ended on the night of the congress that they deliberately called off. I mean, just look at the state of our party – no cars, no properties of our own, and nothing tangible to show to our community. What are these people doing in Parliament to advance the agenda of the people who elected them? All this will come to an end, and we are going to restore order in the party,” vowed Uahupirapi, who added that they will not vacate the party offices under any circumstances. Not even Kauandenge’s demands will sway them, he said.

-ohembapu@nepc.com.na