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Home / Political hooliganism derails Nudo congress
Political hooliganism derails Nudo congress
2018-05-28Staff Report 2 Kuzeeko Tjitemisa WINDHOEK – The National Unity Democratic Organisation (Nudo) elective conference that was held at Greiter’s Conference Centre, Brakwater over the weekend was abandoned after violence erupted between ‘comrades’ in a battle for positions. Upon arrival at the conference centre on Saturday at the third congress of Nudo, New Era witnessed first-hand physical confrontations and insults among party members. Battle lines were drawn pitting ‘Team Nudo’ on one side against ‘VK 100%’ on the other. The party is divided into two camps, with members supporting Vetaruhe Kandorozu for the Nudo top position (presidency) calling themselves ‘VK 100%’ and those supporting Utjiua Muinjangue calling themselves ‘Team Nudo’. The dispute was the alleged ‘deliberate’ attempt by the current Nudo secretary general and ‘VK 100%’ preferred candidate for the SG position, Meundju Jahanika, at blocking some 120 delegates belonging to ‘Team Nudo’ and claiming to represent certain branches from Aminuis Constituency and Erongo Region, from participating in the congress. On Thursday at around 17h00 the High Court dismissed an urgent application by ‘Team Nudo’ to block the congress from taking place. Deputy Judge President Hosea Angula dismissed the application on the basis that it did not meet the merit of urgency. In an interview with New Era on the sidelines of the congress, Jahanika said ‘Team Nudo’ members are engaging in delaying tactics because they went to court in their efforts to try to stop the congress from going ahead but the judged dismissed their case with costs. Jahanika accused ‘Team Nudo’ of transporting “illegal delegates’’ to the congress to disrupt it. He said the congress would end up being postponed to an unspecified date. According to Jahanika both teams initially agreed to go ahead with the congress and that issues would be discussed. “We agreed that delegates should come with their membership card and prove that they are paid-up members but currently that is not what is happening, people are coming from nowhere,” he said. Nudo councillor at City of Windhoek and ‘Team Nudo’ candidate for the position of SG Joseph Kauandenge told New Era that the dispute between the two groups is over the legitimacy of the congress and the legitimacy of delegates to the congress. He said he did not know whether the party elections would go ahead. 2018-05-28Staff Report 2
