Amukwiyu
Kenya KamboweEngoyi
Swapo’s Oshikoto regional coordinator Armas Amukwiyu has dismissed allegations that he played a role in the dramatic stand-off that disrupted the swearing-in of regional council office-bearers last weekend.The chaos unfolded on Friday when the swearing-in ceremony for Swapo constituency councillors in Oshikoto was abruptly postponed after several councillors refused to comply with a directive issued by Swapo secretary-general Sophia Shaningwa.
The directive set out who should be elected to the management committee and who should be deployed to the National Council.
The 11 councillors were subsequently summoned to Windhoek for an urgent meeting on Saturday, after which the swearing-in ceremony took place on Sunday in line with the party directive.
But tensions were reportedly far from resolved.
Soon after proceedings concluded, some supporters in the chamber chanted that “Team Swapo lost” and that those who had attempted to defy the directive “should be ashamed”.
‘Team Swapo’ is the label historically used for those who opposed the ‘Team Harambee’ slate of the late President Hage Geingob, current President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, Sophia Shaningwa and the late Marco Hausiku ahead of the 2017 congress.
Amukwiyu himself contested the secretary-general’s position during that congress and lost to Shaningwa.
The rift created by that contest – Team Swapo versus Team Harambee – has allegedly lingered within internal structures, according to sources, who suggest that the Oshikoto leadership remains divided along these factional lines.
Alleged long-standing feud
According to sources within the regional structures, last week’s temporary revolt by several councillors would allegedly not have occurred without Amukwiyu’s tacit backing.
“It is a known fact that Amukwiyu and (Sakeus) Nangula are not close. Those councillors who tried to defy the directive would not have done so without his support,” an insider claimed.
Nangula, the newly elected chairperson of the Oshikoto Regional Council’s management committee, is understood to have allegedly had a long-standing feud with Amukwiyu.
This dynamic is believed to have fuelled Friday’s attempted defiance, with some councillors reportedly opposing Nangula’s elevation to the post.
Time to ‘move on’
Amukwiyu, however, denied any involvement in the attempted defiance of the party directive.
“I heard about the rumour. I was not there on Sunday, so I cannot confirm what was said,” he told Namibian Sun.
“All I did after receiving the directive was inform the comrades. It appears that some of them were not happy, and that’s what happened.”
When asked why he stayed away from the ceremony, he said there is no law compelling him to attend.
Despite his denial, party insiders say that factional loyalties dating back to the bruising 2017 Swapo elective congress continue to haunt the Oshikoto region and were at the heart of last week’s turmoil.
Amukwiyu, however, argued that party members must move on.
“Those still making statements about Team Swapo and Team Harambee need to be condemned and must get over the 2017 congress hangover,” he said.
Ready to lead
Following the initial tensions, the region now has a fully constituted leadership structure.
Nangula will chair the management committee, joined by Erastus Taati Nekomba, Josef Shiwomwenyo Shilongo and Nestor Shuuveni Iyambo.
Representing Oshikoto in the National Council will be Vilho Tulipohamba Nuunyango, Matheus Hangula and Moses //Khumub.
Mateus Nelumbu Kamati, Esala Ndaamekele, Saara Ndahepuluka Shikokolola and Matias Zambia Shafooli were sworn in as ordinary council members.
Attempts to obtain a comment from Shaningwa were unsuccessful by the time of going to print.
[email protected]
Swapo’s Oshikoto regional coordinator Armas Amukwiyu has dismissed allegations that he played a role in the dramatic stand-off that disrupted the swearing-in of regional council office-bearers last weekend.The chaos unfolded on Friday when the swearing-in ceremony for Swapo constituency councillors in Oshikoto was abruptly postponed after several councillors refused to comply with a directive issued by Swapo secretary-general Sophia Shaningwa.
The directive set out who should be elected to the management committee and who should be deployed to the National Council.
The 11 councillors were subsequently summoned to Windhoek for an urgent meeting on Saturday, after which the swearing-in ceremony took place on Sunday in line with the party directive.
But tensions were reportedly far from resolved.
Soon after proceedings concluded, some supporters in the chamber chanted that “Team Swapo lost” and that those who had attempted to defy the directive “should be ashamed”.
‘Team Swapo’ is the label historically used for those who opposed the ‘Team Harambee’ slate of the late President Hage Geingob, current President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, Sophia Shaningwa and the late Marco Hausiku ahead of the 2017 congress.
Amukwiyu himself contested the secretary-general’s position during that congress and lost to Shaningwa.
The rift created by that contest – Team Swapo versus Team Harambee – has allegedly lingered within internal structures, according to sources, who suggest that the Oshikoto leadership remains divided along these factional lines.
Alleged long-standing feud
According to sources within the regional structures, last week’s temporary revolt by several councillors would allegedly not have occurred without Amukwiyu’s tacit backing.
“It is a known fact that Amukwiyu and (Sakeus) Nangula are not close. Those councillors who tried to defy the directive would not have done so without his support,” an insider claimed.
Nangula, the newly elected chairperson of the Oshikoto Regional Council’s management committee, is understood to have allegedly had a long-standing feud with Amukwiyu.
This dynamic is believed to have fuelled Friday’s attempted defiance, with some councillors reportedly opposing Nangula’s elevation to the post.
Time to ‘move on’
Amukwiyu, however, denied any involvement in the attempted defiance of the party directive.
“I heard about the rumour. I was not there on Sunday, so I cannot confirm what was said,” he told Namibian Sun.
“All I did after receiving the directive was inform the comrades. It appears that some of them were not happy, and that’s what happened.”
When asked why he stayed away from the ceremony, he said there is no law compelling him to attend.
Despite his denial, party insiders say that factional loyalties dating back to the bruising 2017 Swapo elective congress continue to haunt the Oshikoto region and were at the heart of last week’s turmoil.
Amukwiyu, however, argued that party members must move on.
“Those still making statements about Team Swapo and Team Harambee need to be condemned and must get over the 2017 congress hangover,” he said.
Ready to lead
Following the initial tensions, the region now has a fully constituted leadership structure.
Nangula will chair the management committee, joined by Erastus Taati Nekomba, Josef Shiwomwenyo Shilongo and Nestor Shuuveni Iyambo.
Representing Oshikoto in the National Council will be Vilho Tulipohamba Nuunyango, Matheus Hangula and Moses //Khumub.
Mateus Nelumbu Kamati, Esala Ndaamekele, Saara Ndahepuluka Shikokolola and Matias Zambia Shafooli were sworn in as ordinary council members.
Attempts to obtain a comment from Shaningwa were unsuccessful by the time of going to print.
[email protected]
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