Nuusita Ashipala

ONGWEDIVA – The upcoming regional council elections will have a decidedly youthful infusion, with many parties, including the ruling party fielding young candidates.
In Omusati region, the Swapo Party Youth League has taken over at least four constituencies, with young leaders garnering the majority of votes during the ruling party’s primaries.
Although the primary elections of those who will contest in the upcoming regional elections will only be concluded this week, four incumbent councillors have lost to the youth.
The candidates include current SPYL regional coordinator in Omusati Immanuel Shikongo who has replaced the incumbent Fillemon Shikwambi at Outapi.
Hans Haikali, a member of the SPYL central committee and district mobiliser for Etayi constituency replaced the incumbent Johannes Elisa.
Both Shikwambi and Elisa have served a single term.
At Ogongo, Daniel Iilende replaced Wilhelm Iyambo.
Iyambo ahead of the elections indicated that he will not contest again.
In addition to Iyambo, the councillor of Anumulenge Werner Kalipi has also indicated that he will not be contesting again.
At Onesi, the SPYL district coordinator Festus Simon Petrus has also eliminated the incumbent Titus Kanyele.
Swapo party coordinator for Omusati Sacky Kayone said district conferences in Ruacana and Okalongo will be finalised by 3 October 2020.
In the Khomas region, Swapo will field the young Emma Muteka in Windhoek West. 
Muteka, who currently serves as SPYL district secretary, is hoping to take over from incumbent councillor George Trepper.
 At the local authority level, Priskilla Hailulu, who is the district secretary for Ongwediva, was also nominated to contest the Ongwediva polls.
SPYL secretary Ephraim Nekongo in his congratulatory message called for calmness and for the spirit of unity to continue to prevail amongst the party members.
“At the end of the day, there is no loser. Therefore, let us all accept the outcome of the respective primaries and massively ensure that we all campaign for our mighty Swapo to ensure victory of our party come November 2020,” said Nekongo.
Nekongo further said the results thus far show that the party members can co-exist with each other.
“I wish to thank the Swapo party membership and leadership for allowing us all to co-exist together as the youth, women, elders and workers. Indeed, the outcomes of the primaries so far implies that we all co-exist,” said Nekongo.
He further appealed to the party members to rally behind the youth.
“The party has manifested its trust in the youth as it have groomed the youth into structures to deploy them to champion the developmental agenda of socio economic development,” said Nekongo. 
- nashipala@nepc.com