Deputy minister, youth leader in spat

Chaos erupted at the weekend when deputy minister of finance Natangwe Ithete and the newly elected Swapo Party Youth League Oshakati West district treasurer, Paulus Paulus, came close to exchanging blows.

The public spat played out at the Oshana's Swapo headquarters where a youth league meeting addressed by acting SPYL secretary Veikko Nekundi was taking place.

The confrontation started after Paulus was barred from attending the meeting by the SPYL Oshana regional secretary, Matilde Nakwedhi.

The standoff reached boiling point when Ithete left the meeting and prevented Paulus from entering the building.

The two exchanged words, with the deputy minister remarking that he was “from the street” and could fight back.

The two were later pulled apart following the intervention of some youth members.

Paulus said he never had the intention to fight the deputy minister and he was shocked by Ithete's behaviour.

Earlier Ithete had addressed the youth leaders, urging them to promote unity within the party.

“As young people, unite and respect your elders, no matter what you have done to us, don't even compromise it. Let's unite as a force, let's stop insulting our leaders,” he said.

KENYA KAMBOWE