WINDHOEK- Swapo Party says none of the information in the stolen confidential files is embarrassing as the information is already public knowledge.

Swapo Secretary General Nangolo Mbumba said this yesterday at a press conference at the party’s headquarters but he indicated Swapo is curious about the motive of the robbery.

As for the confidential files that were stolen, Mbumba said there is nothing in those files that could politically embarrass the ruling party.

“All the information contained in those files are formal communications which are known to the public, therefore nothing that the robbers took or stole can embarrass us. I would really like to know what the motive of this break-in was because a criminal gang will not come here to steal files. We would like to trace the political element of this burglary,” said Mbumba.

After 22 of the offices at the party’s headquarters were ransacked last weekend, Mbumba said he hoped the police apprehend the culprits to establish the true motive of the break-in.

He said the theft occurred to disrupt “our election preparations but that will not derail us”.

“We have our electoral college coming up as well as the elections, but there is nothing they can do to stop us. We will continue working hard and motivate our members to go out in numbers during the elections,” said Mbumba.

Swapo sets electoral college date

Meanwhile, Mbumba announced the party’s electoral college will be held from 29-31 August and that preparations were already at an advanced stage.

“The Swapo Party wings and the affiliate union have already finalised their respective lists of candidates and delegates to the electoral college. Swapo Party structures in the regions are in the process of finalizing their respective lists of their candidates and delegates to the pot,” said Mbumba.

Seventeen of the ruling party’s parliamentarians are not on the party’s Central Committee, but Mbumba said by virtue of their positions as members of parliament, they will go into the ‘pot’.

Each of the 14 regions will send two candidates and four delegates to the electoral college.

All 84 CC members will also attend the convention but not all of them will go into the ‘pot’ as candidates.

A combined 215 delegates and candidates are expected to attend the gathering.

The party wings will dispatch six candidates each, except for the women’s council that will send 10 candidates.

By Mathias Haufiku