'No infighting in Swapo'
The president has told party leaders in the Khomas Region that rumours of dissent in the ruling party were untrue.
There is no crisis or infighting within the Swapo Party, President Hage Geingob said yesterday at a meeting with the Swapo leadership in the Khomas Region.
He also addressed the issue of ancestral land.
Speaking about allegations that the party is in crisis, the acting Swapo president warned that anyone “looking for trouble in Swapo will be disappointed, as they are always disappointed.”
Geingob said Swapo was a democratic party and people had a right to challenge anyone, and those who were defeated must accept that.
He said there were people who wanted division and infighting, but they would be disappointed to know that the party remained united.
The president warned that Swapo being the ruling party, it should be remembered that infighting within the party would spill over into the country in general.
“Thankfully Swapo is not in trouble, therefore the country is not in trouble,” he said.
He said disagreements within the party were to be expected, but that the party continued to “hold hands” with the aim of achieving its goals.
Regarding the resettlement programme, Geingob said land remained a burning and difficult issue.
He said accusations that the government had not spent sufficient time in trying to understand the issue were false and that much time had been spent on the issue.
“Don't say that we haven't discussed ancestral land. It is not true,” he said. He added that what was missing was a mention of the San community. “We never refer to them when we talk about ancestral land.”
He furthermore dismissed accusations that Namibia's government was “against black people getting land back”, saying that proof should be provided when such allegations were made.
Geingob encouraged Swapo's regional leadership to help provide solutions to the land issue by September.
“We must answer the question, how do we empower those who need land,” he said.
Instead of warring around the issue of land, Geingob said it was important to engage in dialogue and to “find one another by convincing one another where one is wrong and address the issue”.
At the meeting, also attended by finance minister Calle Schlettwein, Geingob told the large crowd that Namibia was not broke.
He said the country was facing “serious headwinds and some economic problems” but that was an opportunity to adjust and find a new path forward.
JANA-MARI SMITH
He also addressed the issue of ancestral land.
Speaking about allegations that the party is in crisis, the acting Swapo president warned that anyone “looking for trouble in Swapo will be disappointed, as they are always disappointed.”
Geingob said Swapo was a democratic party and people had a right to challenge anyone, and those who were defeated must accept that.
He said there were people who wanted division and infighting, but they would be disappointed to know that the party remained united.
The president warned that Swapo being the ruling party, it should be remembered that infighting within the party would spill over into the country in general.
“Thankfully Swapo is not in trouble, therefore the country is not in trouble,” he said.
He said disagreements within the party were to be expected, but that the party continued to “hold hands” with the aim of achieving its goals.
Regarding the resettlement programme, Geingob said land remained a burning and difficult issue.
He said accusations that the government had not spent sufficient time in trying to understand the issue were false and that much time had been spent on the issue.
“Don't say that we haven't discussed ancestral land. It is not true,” he said. He added that what was missing was a mention of the San community. “We never refer to them when we talk about ancestral land.”
He furthermore dismissed accusations that Namibia's government was “against black people getting land back”, saying that proof should be provided when such allegations were made.
Geingob encouraged Swapo's regional leadership to help provide solutions to the land issue by September.
“We must answer the question, how do we empower those who need land,” he said.
Instead of warring around the issue of land, Geingob said it was important to engage in dialogue and to “find one another by convincing one another where one is wrong and address the issue”.
At the meeting, also attended by finance minister Calle Schlettwein, Geingob told the large crowd that Namibia was not broke.
He said the country was facing “serious headwinds and some economic problems” but that was an opportunity to adjust and find a new path forward.
JANA-MARI SMITH
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