Swapo women jostle for positions

The Swapo Party Women’s Council is scheduled to hold its elective congress at the end of this year, with prospective candidates already campaigning vigorously.
The battle for the top post is expected to heat up when the women’s league meets later this month for its central committee meeting to iron out issues pertaining to the elective congress, which is expected to take place at Keetmanshoop in December.
Incumbent SPWC secretary Petrina Haingura has reportedly shown interest in serving another term, despite initial talk suggesting that she might opt not to stand for re-election, and instead make way for her deputy, Eunice Iipinge. Iipinge is a veteran politician and lost against Haingura when she challenged the latter during the 2006 elective congress at Rundu.
At the last congress at Swakopmund, Haingura retained her position after defeating Karin Hishidimbwa. Haingura received 353 votes, while her challenger garnered only 91 votes. The same congress elected Iipinge as deputy secretary following a contest against Mildred Jantjies and Mwetulamba Shingenge Haipinge.





A member of the SPWC, who requested anonymity, told Namibian Sun this week that some members are not happy with either Haingura or Iipinge being at the helm of the women’s league.
She claimed that the SPWC has been absent when it comes to issues affecting women.
“The current leadership only refers to the 50/50 representation when they speak of their legacy. That was not their achievement, it had been a long time coming, and it was bound to be achieved with or without their presence or input,” she said.
The source further said that Iipinge was an unpopular candidate who should rather give others a chance to lead.
Iipinge also serves on the Swapo Party Elders’ Council and some sources said she should focus on that instead.
Haingura, who is a former health deputy minister, would neither confirm nor deny whether she would seek re-election in December. “Go and ask those who gave the information,” was all Haingura was prepared to say.
Iipinge was also non-committal, saying she was preparing for the upcoming central committee meeting. “The central committee is meeting on the 27th in Swakopmund and then the congress must be called three months in advance. The congress has not even been officially called yet. This is probably just people spreading rumours,” she said.
“In our party there are procedures. Positions belong to the people. I cannot talk about that now.”

More challengers?

The names of Windhoek deputy mayor Fransina Kahungu and former mayor Agnes Kafula have also been linked to the post of SPWC secretary. Namibian Sun understands that many women in the council want Kafula to succeed Haingura, but indications are that Kafula is not interested.
Kafula couldn’t be reached for comment yesterday, while Kahungu indicated that she was not interested in putting her name in the hat, even though “others in the office are lobbying”.
Said Kahungu: “The central committee never discussed this, whoever is lobbying is unconstitutional.”
Omaheke’s SPWC regional coordinator, Bianca van Wyk, has reportedly shown interest in running for the deputy secretary position and is believed to be an ally of Iipinge’s.

GORDON JOSEPH