OSHAKATI – The Swapo Party regional executive leadership for Oshana has strongly condemned the statement by Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP) general secretary Jesaya Nyamu, which slammed the erection of statues and the renaming of streets in honour of the Founding Father, Dr Sam Nujoma.
During a press conference held at the Swapo Party Oshana Region headquarters in Oshakati on Friday, the party’s regional coordinator Erastus Kapolo said Nyamu’s remarks are an insult to Nujoma, who was the country’s first president.
Accompanied by various members of the Swapo regional leadership in Oshana Region, Kapolo maintained that Nyamu’s comments constitute active “aggression towards the entire Namibian nation”.
About a month ago Nyamu, who was expelled from Swapo before he officially joined the RDP some years ago, was quoted in the local press stating that erecting statues and renaming streets in honour of Nujoma was “madness” and should RDP come to power, it would reverse the process.
“I know a lot of people who fought at Ongulugwombashe and some of those who perished in that battle. The dead must surely be turning in their graves at the man-worshipping antics of Swapo,” read Nyamu’s statement in reference to Nujoma’s statue erected at Ongulugwombashe as well as the second one planned to be erected in Windhoek. Kapolo described Nyamu’s remarks as “unrealistic wishful thinking”.
He said after reading Nyamu’s statement he was disturbed to note that there were a few citizens in the country who still don’t recognise and don’t applaud the hard won achievements brought by the heroic, gallant and dynamic leadership of Swapo Party and its government.
Kapolo said Swapo under the leadership of Nujoma brought freedom that includes political emancipation, independence, peace and national reconciliation, nationhood and national pride, together with socio-economic, cultural, educational and economic development, amongst others.
“We therefore reject all reactionary tendencies and constitutional denial negating the erection of statues and renaming of streets after His Excellency Dr Sam Tshafiishuna Nujoma, the leader of the Namibian Revolution and Father of the Nation,” stressed Kapolo.
Nyamu, a former minister of trade and industry was expelled from Swapo Party in 2005 in terms of the Swapo Party constitution after he authored the highly divisive “Nyamu notes”, which plotted against his own then comrades towards taking over the party leadership
By Helvy Shaanika