Can Swapo heal itself?
Political analysts are concerned that the once “mighty” Swapo may not make it in one piece through its highly anticipated elective congress next month.
Sunday's central committee meeting saw Swapo veterans Jerry Ekandjo and Nahas Angula joining the race for the party's top position, in opposition to the current acting president, Hage Geingob.
Contesting for the position of vice-president are Helmut Angula, Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana and Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, while those running for the position of secretary-general include Armas Amukwiyu and Sophia Shaningwa.
Those running for the position of deputy secretary-general include Martha Namundjebo-Tilahun, Marco Hausiku and Petrina Haingura.
Political commentator Professor Nico Horn says while it is too early to tell whether factions are driving the divisions in the party it is clear through the nomination process that certain politicians opted to oppose Geingob.
“But what is strange is why do we have two camps if both teams expressed dissatisfaction with Geingob?” he asked.
He added that it is interesting that Iivula-Ithana and Ekandjo are both still serving in the cabinet both at the behest of Geingob.
According to Horn, Iivula-Ithana and Ekandjo are biting the proverbial hand that feeds them.
“He can fire them anytime; even in parliament he can recall them. Basically they are vulnerable at this point, but then it is obviously not the appropriate time to get rid of them.”
In 2015, Geingob extended what many regarded a “political lifeline” to his 2012 Swapo vice-presidential rivals Iivula-Ithana and Ekandjo, both of whom did not make it into the sixth National Assembly after the ruling party won only 77 seats.
It would appear as if this decision is coming back to haunt Geingob as both candidates have expressed frustration and impatience with his leadership.
Iivula-Ithana last week said she was ready to “sacrifice even her life to restore the party's principles as she contests the vice-president's position”.
Ekandjo was quoted in a weekly newspaper saying Geingob has “stifled democracy in the party”.
This is unprecedented, said political commentator Phanuel Kaapama when comparing Geingob's presidency with those of his predecessors Sam Nujoma and Hifikepunye Pohamba, who both served two terms uncontested.
In fact Nujoma, served three terms as state president after a bill that required only his signature was passed allowing him to stand for a third term.
The decision to oppose Geingob in his very first term as state president is an interesting development, observed Kaapama.
“When you look at the people that are contesting then you can see that they are throwing their names in a hat. And through that you can sense a lot of disgruntlement and dissatisfaction,” he said.
He insisted that Swapo's biggest test is whether it can bounce back from the divisions currently ravaging the party.
“The key question now is not who wins but whether it can heal the party, or will Swapo be haunted by this damage going into the future?” he asked.
JEMIMA BEUKES
Sunday's central committee meeting saw Swapo veterans Jerry Ekandjo and Nahas Angula joining the race for the party's top position, in opposition to the current acting president, Hage Geingob.
Contesting for the position of vice-president are Helmut Angula, Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana and Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, while those running for the position of secretary-general include Armas Amukwiyu and Sophia Shaningwa.
Those running for the position of deputy secretary-general include Martha Namundjebo-Tilahun, Marco Hausiku and Petrina Haingura.
Political commentator Professor Nico Horn says while it is too early to tell whether factions are driving the divisions in the party it is clear through the nomination process that certain politicians opted to oppose Geingob.
“But what is strange is why do we have two camps if both teams expressed dissatisfaction with Geingob?” he asked.
He added that it is interesting that Iivula-Ithana and Ekandjo are both still serving in the cabinet both at the behest of Geingob.
According to Horn, Iivula-Ithana and Ekandjo are biting the proverbial hand that feeds them.
“He can fire them anytime; even in parliament he can recall them. Basically they are vulnerable at this point, but then it is obviously not the appropriate time to get rid of them.”
In 2015, Geingob extended what many regarded a “political lifeline” to his 2012 Swapo vice-presidential rivals Iivula-Ithana and Ekandjo, both of whom did not make it into the sixth National Assembly after the ruling party won only 77 seats.
It would appear as if this decision is coming back to haunt Geingob as both candidates have expressed frustration and impatience with his leadership.
Iivula-Ithana last week said she was ready to “sacrifice even her life to restore the party's principles as she contests the vice-president's position”.
Ekandjo was quoted in a weekly newspaper saying Geingob has “stifled democracy in the party”.
This is unprecedented, said political commentator Phanuel Kaapama when comparing Geingob's presidency with those of his predecessors Sam Nujoma and Hifikepunye Pohamba, who both served two terms uncontested.
In fact Nujoma, served three terms as state president after a bill that required only his signature was passed allowing him to stand for a third term.
The decision to oppose Geingob in his very first term as state president is an interesting development, observed Kaapama.
“When you look at the people that are contesting then you can see that they are throwing their names in a hat. And through that you can sense a lot of disgruntlement and dissatisfaction,” he said.
He insisted that Swapo's biggest test is whether it can bounce back from the divisions currently ravaging the party.
“The key question now is not who wins but whether it can heal the party, or will Swapo be haunted by this damage going into the future?” he asked.
JEMIMA BEUKES
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