OMUTHIYA – Tempers flared at the Swapo Omuthiya district elective conference on Saturday, after things got heated between an aspiring candidate Armas Amukoto, regional coordinator Armas Amukwiyu and governor Penda Ya Ndakolo.
The elective conference was delayed for more than two hours after Amukoto and his supporters protested the regional leadership’s decision to bar him from contesting against Katrina Uusiku and Ilia Nghipundjwa for the district coordinator position. Amukoto, who is a former Omuthiya constituency councillor, failed the vetting test for having reportedly supported the 2019 presidential candidacy of independent candidate Dr Panduleni Itula.
Amukoto questioned the motive behind his exclusion and directly challenged Amukwiyu over the matter, while accusing the leadership of destroying the party through corrupt activities.
A war of words ensued between Amukoto, Amukwiyu and Ya Ndakolo, while supporters of Amukoto also took on the top leadership.
Order was only restored 45 minutes later and voting was eventually allowed to take place without Amukoto who informed his supporters to vote for a candidate of their choice.
“I know we are all disappointed in the manner in which this so-called leadership handled the conference barring me from taking part. So as my followers, I want to advise and ask that if you are to go vote, kindly vote for anyone of your choice in case I am not on the list,” he stated before leaving hall where the elective conference was being held.
Nghipundjwa was eventually elected district coordinator after securing 57 votes compared to 34 garnered by Uusiku. Samuel Shikongo took the district mobiliser position after Susanna Uukongo withdrew from the contest at the eleventh hour.
“I withdrew from the race because I didn’t want future conflict. I also had to embrace the zebra style of the party since there was no man in the top leadership,” she said.
Josef Kakungha retained his position of treasurer after getting 51 votes ahead of his rival Josef Nangolo who got 40 votes. Amukwiyu said the conference had to take place on Saturday as it has been nullified and postponed several times.
Amukwiyu also said he did not have anything against Amukoto or any member of the party in the region, saying he was merely following the party constitution.
He, however, conceded in the meeting that how Amukoto got to know of his disqualification was wrong as he was supposed to be issued with a formal notice by the acting district coordinator who did not do so.
– osimasiku@nepc.com.na