WINDHOEK - Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP) founding member and president Jeremiah Nambinga yesterday resigned as party’s president, putting to an end constant leadership squabbles that have bruised the party in recent years.

Nambinga who took over the party’s leadership in 2015 from founding President, the late Hidipo Hamutenya, announced his resignation at his residence in Windhoek, saying he will remain a citizen of the country, a voter and remains true to the principles that he upholds.

Asked whether he will be re-joining Swapo, Nambinga said “Which Swapo? Swapo Harambee or Team Swapo. To come back to your question, Let me tell you I will never…never eat my vomit, I vomited Swapo and I will never eat my vomit, if you see me eat my vomit please come and assist me that will mean I am very sick.”

Furthermore, Nambinga said he was founding member of the RDP and the express purpose of the RDP was to vent the frustration and offer reasoned critique of policy failures of the ruling party in respect of dilapidated and poor health care provision, poverty, corruption engineered by the well-connected and as far as it stands the party has lost focus.

Nambinga’s resignation opens the door for party vice-president Steve Bezuidenhout to take over as acting president.

Meanwhile, Nambinga late last year hauled the party to court to have the vote of no confidence in him by the National Executive Committee (NEC) in August declared null and void.

RDP’s NEC passed a vote of no confidence in Nambinga on August 2017, citing that under his leadership, the party no longer upholds the values and principles it was founded on.

However, earlier this year a Windhoek High Court Judge Shafimana Ueitele granted an order in Nambinga’s favour after he applied to have decisions taken at a meeting on August last year to oust him as president of the party declared null and void.

Nambinga was granted an interdict against 18 members of his NEC to bar them from ousting him as president.

The judge issued a special court order in November last year ordering the NEC consisting of Steve Bezuidenhout, Mike Kavekotora, Agnes Limbo, Kandy Nehova, Peter Naholo, Dr Olga Kamoruao, Asser Hidipohamba Sheuhange, Penda Guava Nangolo, Nicanor Ndjoze, Miriam Hamutenya, Corrine Poulton, Sacky Amenya, Brunhilde Cornelius, Eino Heelu, Kennedy Shekupakela, Nghiningilwandubo Kashume, Nicklaas Dawson and Ekonia Kamati, to show cause on December 8, why the decision taken on August 12, whereby they adopted a vote of no confidence in Nambinga should not be declared null and void.