WINDHOEK – The Swapo Party Elders’ Council (SPEC) has called on its mother body to emulate it and implement zebra style gender balance after the SPEC effected the 50/50 policy at its recent extraordinary congress.

The SPEC extraordinary congress took place last week in Swakopmund where it elected a male and female in its two top positions. Mukwaita Shanyengana was chosen to lead the SPEC, deputized by Mary Masule.

“By electing these two leaders we have shown that the 50/50 policy can work, we therefore urge the mother body to do the same and follow our example,” said Shanyengana last Thursday when presenting the outcomes of the extraordinary congress that was specially convened to elect a new secretary for the elders’ council.

“Our role in the party is to advise and take the lead because we are the elders,” said Shanyengana, adding: “I hope all structures will follow suit.”

His pleas come during a time when the ruling party is working around the clock to work on the best 50/50 implementation formula that will not disadvantage or aggravate part members – male and female.

Shanyengana said the party must honour the amended party constitution that calls for 50/50 gender balance, adding that the SPEC would continue to fulfill its mandate of advising all party structures.

Just last month in the National Assembly, the finance minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila said the party must ensure that implementation of the 50/50 gender policy is sustainable.

“We must have strategies to make sure we do not have 50/50 in these [upcoming] elections while in the other elections it is only 20 percent women. We must identify the causes of the imbalances we face and address them. Our responses should not aim at short term measures but also medium and long term,” said Kuugongelwa-Amadhila.

Swapo has since directed its Politburo to finalize the best possible methodology to reach the zebra style representation on the party list before the electoral college takes place later this year.

By Mathias Haufiku