Amid the intensifying whirlwind of election campaigns, the Swapo Party Elders’ Council has thrown its weight and consolidated support behind party vice president, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, as their preferred candidate for the upcoming elections.

The support from the elders signifies another step in the party’s campaign, as members throw their weight behind their preferred candidate to contest the State Presidency. In a statement issued last week, SPEC secretary Mukwaita Shanyengana

had no doubt the Nandi-Ndaitwah he knows is the most suitable candidate to take Namibia to the proverbial “Promised Land”.

“She was one of the active youths, along
the likes of Thomas Kamati, who led the youth political activities,” said Shanyengana, adding that Nandi-Ndaitwah, affectionately known as NNN in political circles, has distinguished herself as a dedicated and selfless cadre who has carried out her assignments with commitment.

In a statement full of praise for their preferred candidate, Shanyengana also reminisced about their times during the liberation struggle and Nandi-Ndaitwah’s successes, not only within the ranks of the party but also in the top positions she held in government. Shanyengana expressed confidence that the country’s economy will grow under Nandi-Ndaitwah’s leadership.

“Netumbo is a capable and competent leader who can take Namibia to the next level of socio-economic development. She is a torch bearer for freedom, economic development, and social progress,” said Shanyengana. He added: “Netumbo is an honest, strong, and committed leader by nature, a trustworthy mother who will ensure that food security, food production, food processing, and natural resources in Namibia are used to improve the living standards of the people.”

Shanwengana works in the Office of the Vice President as an advisor, making NNN effectively his supremo. While continuing to shower NNN with praise, Shanyengana also criticised other political parties, stating that they are motivated by the politics of the stomach and survival.

Panic

With just three months to the elections, some members of the ruling party are growing increasingly anxious due to an ongoing court case in which five party members sued the party for allegedly violating its own constitution. The five, who are disgruntled with a decision to endorse the candidature of NNN ahead of the November elections, are Reinhold Shipwikineni, Petrus Shituula, Joshua Martins, Erich Shivute, and Aina Angula. Through their lawyers, Metcalfe Beukes Attorneys, they criticised the central committee’s decision not to hold an extraordinary congress within three months after President Hage Geingob’s demise, “as required by the party’s constitution”.

Party members who spoke to New Era, feel Swapo initially downplayed the matter; however, it could greatly affect the party should it lose the case.

“The leadership didn’t take the other guys [plaintiffs] seriously, but we are now seeing they might actually have a case, and it’s only now that they are realising how serious the matter is,” said a member of the top party structures. In June, the party, through its lawyers, Murorua Kurtz Kasper Inc. demanded that the plaintiffs prove they can each afford N$400 000 in case they lose the case and are ordered to bear the legal costs.

This, according to them, was prompted by past experiences with difficulties in recovering costs awarded against individual party members. “In fact, the first applicant [Shipwikineni] recently, in other proceedings pending against him in the High Court, went public seeking financial assistance to fund the costs of litigation in those proceedings. In view of the aforesaid, our clients hereby demand security of costs in the amount of N$400 000 from each of your clients,” Swapo’s lawyers wrote in a letter dated June 25.

While this could have been a cue for the complainants to surrender the case, the High Court ruled on 4 July 2024, that the amount be reduced from N$2 million to N$225 000.

In essence, each applicant will only be expected to provide proof of N$45 000 in security costs. “As we speak now, the security cost of N$225 000 is already available on the account of our legal representative, and the respondent is already notified,” said one of the applicants, Reinhold Shipwikineni, before adding that the group will forge ahead with the case.

Political microscope 

Political analyst Rui Tyitende believes the case will derail the party’s campaign activities, cause disruptions, and cause the party to lose focus.

“We are in the election season, and Swapo is focused on making sure its presidential candidate wins the elections. Now, if the Court rules that Swapo holds an extraordinary congress, they will have to divert financial resources to the court case instead of focusing on their campaign trails,” said Tyitende.

The timeframe for conducting the congress might be a challenge, Tyitende said.

“Let’s say, for argument’s sake, the court says you should hold your extraordinary congress in 30 days or 60 days. What does that mean? Where will they get those logistics, the planning arrangements, and the financial resources they claim they don’t have? Will they mobilise the so-called Swapo businessmen to come on board and finance the Swapo campaign, or will it go back to the mantra where Sophia Shaningwa said Swapo has all the money?” Tyitende questioned.

In the same breath, Tyitende criticised the party for “not following its own rules”.

“How can people trust you to follow the rules of the country when you don’t follow your own party rules and regulations?” he further asked.

How it started 

The article in the Swapo constitution said to have been contravened says: “In the event the president is unable to permanently perform his or her duties or to carry out his or her functions for whatever reason, an extraordinary congress shall be called by the central committee within three months of the vacancy occurring to elect a new president, unless such vacancy occurs six months prior to the ordinary congress. In such an event, the vice president shall exercise all the powers, duties, and functions of the president pending the election of the president at the ordinary congress.”. Swapo’s interpretation of this article is that it is required to “call” an extraordinary congress in three months and not “hold” one.

Therefore, the Central Committee resolved to hold the congress in April next year.

The disgruntled group feels the party has deliberately violated its own constitution to favour Nandi-Ndaitwah, who is the second respondent in the case, alongside the party. –ashikololo@nepc.com.na