Mukwaita Shanyengana, who is the chairperson of Swapo’s national leaders assigned to the Otjozondjupa region, says he is in the dark over infighting in the Grootfontein district, including Monday’s suspensions.
Unresolved internal squabbles in Grootfontein saw the suspensions of its newly sworn-in mayor and other district executive members over allegations of voting for the opposition to ascend to the chairpersonship of the town’s management committee.
Contacted on the suspensions yesterday, Shanyengana said he only learned about it through the media.
“The party is bigger than everyone. What is important is to save the party,” he responded.
“Some people are fighting for bread and butter. We are now getting information through the media. We want to hear the information from them. I am just reading in the newspapers about these suspensions. I will comment once they give me detailed information”, Shanyengana added.
However, he said, for any suspension to be lawful, such punitive measures first need to be certified by the Swapo politburo.
“The suspensions have to be certified by the politburo. It is the last body to suspend members. The politburo has not yet met to deliberate on these issues,” he noted.
At the centre of the storm is Talitha Garises (66), who served as mayor for less than a week before she was subsequently suspended and recalled on Monday by the Swapo district executive committee.
Garises, who was sworn in as Grootfontein mayor last Thursday, faces suspension along with other party cadres for allegedly supporting members of the opposition to take over management committee.
Such infightings among Swapo cadres come after the Swapo secretary general Sophia Shaningwa recently warned regional coordinators that the party cannot afford the consequences of internal fights anymore.
Swapo advised its ruling party members and supporters to adhere to constitutional provisions as they will then have fewer squabbles as far as the terms of office are concerned.
Shanyengana directed all Swapo members to adhere to the party’s constitution, whose rules and procedures on the code of conduct are clearly stipulated.
– anakale@nepc.com.na