‘Go to hell meant to cheer up CC’ - Nandi-Ndaitwah
OGONE TLHAGE
WINDHOEK
Swapo Party vice-president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has leapt to the defence of party leader Dr Hage Geingob, saying his remarks telling central committee members “to go to hell” on Saturday were meant to cheer up the members.
Geingob during the opening of the session can be heard saying: “Sing or don’t sing, this is not Swapo, this is not Swapo, something is wrong, hmmm mem, they can go to hell,” while talking to Nandi-Ndaitwah.
“That was just really something to cheer people up and then you decide to take it out of context. The audio is meant to cheer people up, you go there then you say are you happy, will you get ready. Is that something that can be considered to be like whatever. The president is simply cheering people up and starting the meeting. Everything here has to be taken in a negative way, positivity is completely getting lost,” Ndaitwah said.
When called to comment on the matter, Swapo secretary-general Sophia Shaningwa directed Namibian Sun to seek comment from Geingob himself.
“Why don’t you call him yourself,” Shaningwa said.
Geingob cut a very tired figure on Saturday morning, having arrived in the country on Friday evening after a two-week working visit to the United States.
A visibly irked Geingob lashed out at the party lawmakers in parliament, accusing them of allowing opposition parties to dominate discussions in parliament.
He was equally unimpressed with remarks made last month by the former Electoral Commission of Namibia chairperson Notemba Tjipueja, who had said, “we wrongly declared Swapo the winner” in the controversial 2020 Ndonga Linena polls.
Swapo Party Elders Council secretary Mukwaita Shanyengana refused to comment what he made of Geingob’s remarks, saying: “I do not have time for newspapers.”
Swapo Party Women’s Council secretary Eunice Ipinge also steered clear of commenting, saying: “I was not present.”
Presidential spokesperson Alfredo Hengari said Geingob did not refer to the CC’s members when making the comments.
“The President was not remotely referring to the CC. The message of the president was excellent, current and urgent, speaking to cadres about the need to be energised, to engage adversaries and society about matters of national importance, crucially, as a ruling party,” Hengari said.
According to Hengari, the president of the Swapo Party has esteem and affection for all his comrades, and the meeting of the CC took place in a spirit of comradeship.
Geingob also urged his party members to stop being ashamed of the party, thinking that it was finished.
“Swapo Party is Swapo Party, I see some hearts, weak hearts, who are now wavering, afraid to be identified as Swapo members because some thought Swapo is apparently finished, that’s why I kept on saying don’t play with Swapo,” Geingob said.
“How can people think that we are strangers or people who were at the mercy of somebody else?” he questioned.
“We are made to feel guilty, ashamed that we are Swapo members, parliament is controlled by those who talk, we have 30 more members there, this thing of being underdogs when you are not must stop,” Geingob said.
WINDHOEK
Swapo Party vice-president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has leapt to the defence of party leader Dr Hage Geingob, saying his remarks telling central committee members “to go to hell” on Saturday were meant to cheer up the members.
Geingob during the opening of the session can be heard saying: “Sing or don’t sing, this is not Swapo, this is not Swapo, something is wrong, hmmm mem, they can go to hell,” while talking to Nandi-Ndaitwah.
“That was just really something to cheer people up and then you decide to take it out of context. The audio is meant to cheer people up, you go there then you say are you happy, will you get ready. Is that something that can be considered to be like whatever. The president is simply cheering people up and starting the meeting. Everything here has to be taken in a negative way, positivity is completely getting lost,” Ndaitwah said.
When called to comment on the matter, Swapo secretary-general Sophia Shaningwa directed Namibian Sun to seek comment from Geingob himself.
“Why don’t you call him yourself,” Shaningwa said.
Geingob cut a very tired figure on Saturday morning, having arrived in the country on Friday evening after a two-week working visit to the United States.
A visibly irked Geingob lashed out at the party lawmakers in parliament, accusing them of allowing opposition parties to dominate discussions in parliament.
He was equally unimpressed with remarks made last month by the former Electoral Commission of Namibia chairperson Notemba Tjipueja, who had said, “we wrongly declared Swapo the winner” in the controversial 2020 Ndonga Linena polls.
Swapo Party Elders Council secretary Mukwaita Shanyengana refused to comment what he made of Geingob’s remarks, saying: “I do not have time for newspapers.”
Swapo Party Women’s Council secretary Eunice Ipinge also steered clear of commenting, saying: “I was not present.”
Presidential spokesperson Alfredo Hengari said Geingob did not refer to the CC’s members when making the comments.
“The President was not remotely referring to the CC. The message of the president was excellent, current and urgent, speaking to cadres about the need to be energised, to engage adversaries and society about matters of national importance, crucially, as a ruling party,” Hengari said.
According to Hengari, the president of the Swapo Party has esteem and affection for all his comrades, and the meeting of the CC took place in a spirit of comradeship.
Geingob also urged his party members to stop being ashamed of the party, thinking that it was finished.
“Swapo Party is Swapo Party, I see some hearts, weak hearts, who are now wavering, afraid to be identified as Swapo members because some thought Swapo is apparently finished, that’s why I kept on saying don’t play with Swapo,” Geingob said.
“How can people think that we are strangers or people who were at the mercy of somebody else?” he questioned.
“We are made to feel guilty, ashamed that we are Swapo members, parliament is controlled by those who talk, we have 30 more members there, this thing of being underdogs when you are not must stop,” Geingob said.
Comments
Namibian Sun
No comments have been left on this article