2005-12-13Staff Report 2 "Claims No Official Knowledge of Expulsion By Kuvee Kangueehi WINDHOEK OUSTED Swapo Party leader Jesaya Nyamu claims that the Swapo party is ""too scared"" to inform him about his expulsion. Speaking to New Era yesterday morning, a defiant Nyamu said he had not officially been informed about his expulsion last week from the party. He is eagerly awaiting official communication before deciding on the next course of action, he said. Saying that he was still in the Otjozondjupa Region, Nyamu claimed he could not discuss the issue of his expulsion from the party in detail. He said he had learned that other senior party leaders such as Theo-Ben Gurirab, Ben Amathila, Libertina Amathila, Ngarikutuke Tjiriange and Nickey Iyambo were not present at the politburo meeting that took the decision to expel him. He would not comment further. Nyamu was not present at the politburo meeting. He also declined to delve into whether he expected Hidipo Hamutenya, the man whose campaign for Swapo presidency he had loyally and relentlessly executed, would support him during his dark hour. The former minister, who sounded as defiant as ever, was in a jovial mood. Nyamu was expelled from the party last week following a decision by the politburo. In a press statement, the party stated that the expulsion of Nyamu followed serious misconduct and violation of the Swapo Party Constitution on his part. ""Nyamu conducted himself in a manner that is contrary to the ideals of the Swapo Party unity and principles, as enshrined in the party's constitution."" The press release added that ""through his incitement of division, violence and factionalism within the Swapo Party, the Political Bureau resolved that he is not worth Swapo Party membership."" Nyamu publicly acknowledged that he was the author of the controversial notes that have led to his expulsion. In the notes, he advanced his ideas of the possibility of forming another political party. The notes, on four small pages, lay out two ""options"", apparently for supporters of former Foreign Affairs Minister Hidipo Hamutenya. It is believed that Nyamu wrote the notes around the time former Namibian President Sam Nujoma dismissed Hamutenya as Foreign Affairs Minister. A political analyst from the University of Namibia, Bill Lindeke said the move by the politburo to expel Nyamu was the Swapo leadership's way of reassuring Nujoma that he is still in control. Lindeke said since Nujoma loyalist Paulus Kapia's suspension from all party activities for his involvement in the Avid Investment saga, it appeared as though the faction within Swapo that was anti-Nujoma was getting the upper hand. He noted that the return of Hamutenya to parliament and Helmut Angula as the Director General of National Planning commission also fuelled the perception that Nujoma was losing his grip on power and the party. Nyamu's dismissal somehow brings back some balance to the party, said Lindeke. He said Nyamu could not claim that anybody had fouled him as the notes clearly advocated for a spilt in the party. He added that Nyamu could maybe feel that some injustice had been done to him since he was not given the opportunity to explain his situation. But Lindeke noted that a political party decided the verdict and not a court of law and the two institutions have different procedures. Lindeke also believes that Nyamu does not have the political support to form his own party. He said people that are even very loyal to him are still members of the Swapo politburo and the central committee and can possibly not start a new party. He also does not expect Nyamu to join any opposition party, noting that his future lies in business." 2005-12-13Staff Report 2
