Swanu president Tangeni Iijambo has hit back at criticism from party members after a vote of no confidence was moved against him by the politburo and central committee (CC) as party members seek his immediate resignation and that of the entire leadership.
According to a media statement issued on Monday, a party meeting held at Omawejozonjanda, Epukiro constituency, in the Omaheke region last Tuesday, attented by one third of the party’s branches, moved no confidence vote against Iijambo and the entire party leadership.
This, according to the statement, is after concerned, frustrated and disillusioned party members decided to arrest the desperate situation caused by the dysfunctionality of both the politburo and the CC to the development of Namibia. “We are satisfied that these bodies are totally unfit to lead the party further in accordance with our revolutionary wishes and aspirations, nor do they have the support of the membership,” read the statement, signed off by former party president Rihupisa Kandando.
“We demand that those who illegally attend politburo meetings without having obtained CC authorisation and members of CC who abdicated their oversight and supervisory responsibility should take the only honourable course and resign from office immediately.”
Responding to the statement yesterday, Iijambo hit back, saying the statement was drafted by Kandando, whom he described as a failure who led the party to the ground during his tenure.
“That statement is not relevant; is Kandando agenda? He and his team never said anything during Maamberua’s term; now that it is my term, everyone is talking. He, Kandando, failed the party during his leadership; there were no branches – but today, we have branches all over the country.
What are they talking about?” Iiyambo said yesterday. Kandando led Swanu, the country’s oldest political party, from 1998 to 2007.
Usutuaije Maamberua, who served as the party president from 2007 until 2017, replaced him.
Swanu has a politburo of 22 and a CC of 52 members.
The first president of Swanu was Fanuel Kozonguizi, who led from its formation in 1959 until 1966, followed by Kandando, followed by Maamberua, who served until 2017 and was replaced by Iijambo.
The party current has one seat in parliament, represented by Iijambo.