WINDHOEK – Outspoken Safety and Security Minister (Rtd) Major-General (Retired) Charles Namoloh says he bears no hard feelings following his dismal performance at the weekend’s Swapo electoral college.
Even if Swapo was to win all 96 seats in parliament, the 103rd ranked former army general would not make it to parliament through voting.
His last chance to return to parliament next year would be if he was included on a list of eight non-voting members nominated by the head of state.
He did not feature on the list of 10 members nominated to the Swapo parliamentary list by party president Hage Geingob yesterday.
Namoloh, regarded as one of the most decorated leaders of Namibia’s armed struggle at the war front, says he would use his free time to write books chronicling the history of country’s liberation war.
“I will write about liberation struggle heroes, people liberation army, plan fighters’ history that is not written about. I will write about all the freedom fighters who sacrificed the lives for the independence of this country, people who are not mentioned, I will mention them…” he told New Era when asked about his performance at the ‘pot’.
“Perhaps you guys at New Era should give me a job, a job to write about the history of this country since you guys are not writing about it,” said the Swapo veteran.
President Hage Geingob yesterday nominated 10 members to the party parliamentary list, namely Professor Peter Katjavivi, Margaret Mensah-Williams, Jerry Ekandjo, Bertha Dinyando Nyambe, Heather Sibungo, Hafeni Ndemula, Veno Kauaria, Vincent Mareka, Nono Katjingisiua and Kletus Karondo.
“There is a time to come and time to go. This is my time to go, maybe people have lost confidence in me. There was only two things - to win or to lose. I have lost and I have no hard feelings,” said Namoloh, who has been a member of the National Assembly since 2005.
Rolling back the clock, Namoloh says he dedicated his whole youthful life to serving the country and its people, and he never expected anything in return. “I am a freedom fighter, I am proud of what I have done for this country. Let others do their part, my memoirs are there, I can go back and reflect on them,” he said.
Other prominent Swapo parliamentarians who performed poorly at the Swapo pot include labour minister Erkki Nghimtina, former Swapo secretary general Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana, Ida Hofmann and Chief Samuel Ankama. Economic planning minister Obeth Kandjoze did not avail himself for the pot, so is current Swapo deputy secretary general Marco Hausiku.