By Staff Writer
WINDHOEK
The Swapo Party Youth League (SPYL) claims it has proof of foreign donors having bankrolled political newcomer Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP).
It also dismissed reports about members of the new party being intimidated.
There is strong suspicion the new party, that in the interim is led by ousted former Trade and Industry minister Jesaya Nyamu, who was also expelled from the ruling Swapo Party for authoring notes weighing his political options, received millions from overseas.
Addressing the media yesterday, the Khomas Regional Secretary of the SPYL Salomon Ilovu said he is still waiting for a response from Director of Elections Phillemon Kanime to pronounce himself on the alleged foreign funding of the RDP.
“We are still waiting to hear the director of elections enforce the provisions of the Electoral Act, 1992, which prohibits the financing of political parties unless such funding is disclosed to the public. Can we hear from the ECN on this matter? Why the silence?”
When asked if there was any concrete evidence to support claims on the alleged foreign funding, said to be a hefty N$60 million, the Regional Treasurer of the SPYL in the Khomas Region, Benno Tsheehama, responded: “Yes, we have tangible evidence.”
Tsheehama said there is something “fishy” in the manner in which Kanime withheld what the SPYL feels is public information as some people’s names were fraudulently put in RDP’s application to the ECN without their consent and their knowledge.
“We as Khomas Region lend our support to the Swapo Party Youth League structures across the country, which have expressed their disappointment in the director of elections, Mr Phillemon Kanime, for stirring a storm in a teacup.
“There is no other threat to the credibility of the Electoral Commission of Namibia than the gentleman himself, for he fails to tell the public that there is nothing wrong with perusing or even possessing the declarations made in the registration of a political party in terms of section 44 of the Electoral Act,” stated Salomon Ilovu, the SPYL Khomas Regional Secretary.
“Perhaps Mr Kanime should evaluate his tenure at the ECN, for we as a youth league have lost all confidence in him,” Ilovu said.
Ilovu and other SPYL leaders at the conference stressed there is no Namibian who should be intimidated or victimized on grounds of his or her political affiliation and that Swapo’s rank and file are politically mature people who are highly principled.
“We are in no way afraid of the new party. Neither are we intent on threatening them. We actually welcome them to the political landscape and we hope that in the year 2009, they will still be around to witness the progression of this land of the brave led under a Swapo Party leadership.
“That being said, let us treat others as we would want others to treat us,” Ilovu said at the briefing held at Swapo Party’s headquarters.
Efforts to get comment from Kanime were unsuccessful as he was said to be attending a workshop related to the Electoral Act.
“Time and again, our leaders are insulted, our principles are questioned, and now, even before our most democratic exercise begins, those former comrades are out there preaching the failure of the congress, which as a matter of fact, they will never attend,” Ilovu said.
“When we speak out, we are accused of either threatening them or being personal, yet when they promote their departures, they speak of how gallant they have been and what they have been able to achieve.
“They forget that it was because of the Swapo Party they achieved whatever they achieved, even though along the way, the blunders that have been absorbed by the Swapo Party are the brain-child of these departed former comrades,” said the SPYL Regional Secretary.
On allegations that Swapo is undemocratic, he said this is not the case because the party is an organization for people who are committed to Namibia and for people who do not need positions in order to make meaningful contributions.
“What will happen in 2009, when they will democratically lose the elections?
Will they leave Namibia? As young people, we will never be misled as we stand firm in our commitment to the Swapo Party and the people of Namibia,” he said.
“We call upon all Swapo Party Youth League members to remain focused. Do not entertain the trickery of those hibernating within the Swapo Party, like wolves in sheepskin. These comrades need to emulate the bravery of the Swapo Party members who are not shy to stand up for what they believe,” said Ilovu.
The media were also told that reports circulating about RDP members being intimidated by Swapo members are not true, because the ruling party is committed to the rule of law.
The SPYL said it could be that RDP members feel intimidated by the sheer size of Swapo when its members speak and not threats involving members of the ruling party.
SPYL Secretary: Information, Publicity and Mobilisation, Charles Siyauya, said the Swapo Party is for the common man, woman and child and not for position seekers.
He also asked: “Can we the majority of of voters, in other words, Swapo Party voters, really have trust and confidence in the Directorate of Elections when it goes about secretly facilitating the registration of the so-called ‘RDP’?”
He said the lack of signatures and voters’ registration numbers confirmed how fraudulently and corruptly the registration was conducted and thus this invalidated the RDP.
“RDP is not worthy to be a Namibian product, as such the Electoral Commission must de-register the party with immediate effect and RDP be tasked to resurrect for the sake of transparency towards freedom of association (sic),” said Siyauya.