Almost 700 Swapo delegates will descend on the capital from today to elect the governing party’s next crop of parliamentarians.
As the Swapo Party gears up for its highly-anticipated electoral college, deputy secretary general Uahekua Herunga has assured the public that all preparations are complete.
It is all systems go for the showdown, which has over the years produced many individuals who have gone on to occupy some of the
highest offices in the land, including ministers, deputy ministers and even presidents.
Many have left permanent features on Namibia’s political landscape through roles in the Executive and Legislature.
The pivotal electoral college, or ‘the pot’ in Swapo lexicon, set for Saturday, will determine the party’s future leadership and shape the
composition of its parliamentary candidates ahead of the November national elections.
“The delegates will arrive in Windhoek on Friday, and get accredited. An independent presiding officer will be appointed – typically a lawyer or accountant – to oversee the entire process,” Herunga told New Era yesterday.
“The process will be conducted through ballot papers, and all candidates’ names have already been submitted. The nation can rest assured that everything will be done procedurally”, he added.
Close to 700 delegates will elect 96 prospective parliamentarians, drawing from various party structures, including the central committee members (84), elected Swapo Members of Parliament (MPs) and representatives from the Swapo Party Women’s Council (10), Elders’ Council (6), Swapo Party Youth League (6), the National Union of Namibian Workers (6) and Former Plan Combatants’ Association (6).
The party’s commitment to gender equality will likewise be upheld, and the top three leadership positions – vice president, secretary general and deputy secretary general – are expected to head the nomination list.
As acting party president, Vice President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah will nominate 10 candidates, who will occupy positions number six, eight, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22 and 24 on the nomination list.
Veterans
However, as the day approaches, veteran politicians within Swapo are advocating for a more inclusive approach to ensure the final list of candidates truly represents Namibia’s diverse population. Seasoned politician and former Cabinet minister Helmuth Angula urged the delegates to look for candidates who have what it takes to stand for the National Assembly, and represent the broader populace.
“We need to ensure that everyone is represented – gender, economic status, youth and the poor,” he urged.
Nahas Angula, another Swapo stalwart, echoed similar sentiments, urging delegates to carefully consider their choices.
“The delegates must exercise their minds properly because if they don’t identify cadres with the necessary competencies, they are doing a disservice to the people of Namibia,” he said. “Sometimes, these processes are marred by groupthink and political cliques, which is not in the interest of the party. The criteria should be rational commitment to the party and competence to carry out the duties if elected to Parliament”.
Angula, who prefers going by the moniker ‘Citizen Nahas’, also voiced concern about the current state of parliamentary representation, stressing that the chosen candidates must be dedicated to serving the people, rather than merely occupying seats.
“You see the last representatives in Parliament, many just go there to sit around and wait for month-end to collect their cheque. That is a betrayal of the people if we put such individuals on the list,” the former Prime Minister said. His assertion is also supported by various analysts, who have raised concern over the nation’s proportional representation electoral system, highlighting its propensity to prioritise party loyalty over quality.
They argue that this trend has resulted in a noticeable decline in the calibre of National Assembly members since the country’s independence. They said this has potentially undermined the effectiveness and integrity of Namibia’s legislative body.
Analysis
In a recent interview with this reporter, executive director of the Institute for Public Policy Research Graham Hopwood shared his views.
“One of the more problematic aspects of the Namibian political system is that the representation method used to elect MPs tends to promote loyalty to the party over other qualities, such as political maturity or particular skills and expertise,” he said.
He observed that late president Hage Geingob “effectively used his powers to appoint eight extra non-voting MPs to try and fill some of these expertise and knowledge gaps”.
The analyst urged parties to look at a variety of factors when selecting prospective parliamentarians, rather than just loyalty to the party or a particular leader.
With elections in two months’ time, Swapo will be first to hold its electoral college.
Parties like the Popular Democratic Movement recently concluded their congress.