Onyaanya Swapo discontent
Some members of the Onyaanya Swapo district in the Oshikoto Region are demanding that the results of the party's district conference held on Sunday be nullified and for another district conference to be convened.
The disgruntled members, who were delegates to the conference, have chosen to remain unnamed due to fear of victimisation.
“We will go public if we fail to get a positive answer from the regional leadership before Friday this week,” the members told Nampa on Tuesday.
They claimed that the serving top three, Nestor Iyambo (coordinator), Tresia Nangula-Shipanga (mobiliser) and Risto Antindi (treasurer) retained their positions after the election returning officer, Willem Amutenya, “dubiously prevented other interested candidates to stand for election”.
Abia Nambahu (coordinator), Sacky Kathindi (mobiliser) and Gideon Shikomba (treasurer) were the interested candidates who Amutenya allegedly declared ineligible to stand as candidates during the conference “for no apparent reason”.
“The returning officer declared Nambahu, Kathindi and Shikomba not eligible to stand, under false claims that the supervision role they played during section and branch conferences in the district disqualified them,” claimed the disgruntled members.
They went on to say the party's election procedures state that members shall not be eligible to stand as candidates only at the elections they are required to supervise and control.
“The three were not in charge of elections during the district conference, but were delegated from branch level to stand as candidates for district leadership positions,” argued the unhappy Swapo members.
They charged that Amutenya's conduct during the conference in question has led to disunity amongst party members in the district and that only a fresh and fair conference will reunify the members.
Approached by Nampa, Amutenya responded: “If they are true Swapo members, they are obliged to know that we have party procedures on how to raise issues concerning our conferences and not complaining through the media.”
He added that he was also not mandated by any party structure to discuss matters related to the said conference.
On his part, Swapo regional coordinator in the region, Armas Amukwiyu said “the electoral committee is independent and is free to execute its mandate autonomously”.
Amukwiyu said although his office is aware of the district conference held at Onyaanya on Sunday, but that it was not yet informed of any dispute.
NAMPA
The disgruntled members, who were delegates to the conference, have chosen to remain unnamed due to fear of victimisation.
“We will go public if we fail to get a positive answer from the regional leadership before Friday this week,” the members told Nampa on Tuesday.
They claimed that the serving top three, Nestor Iyambo (coordinator), Tresia Nangula-Shipanga (mobiliser) and Risto Antindi (treasurer) retained their positions after the election returning officer, Willem Amutenya, “dubiously prevented other interested candidates to stand for election”.
Abia Nambahu (coordinator), Sacky Kathindi (mobiliser) and Gideon Shikomba (treasurer) were the interested candidates who Amutenya allegedly declared ineligible to stand as candidates during the conference “for no apparent reason”.
“The returning officer declared Nambahu, Kathindi and Shikomba not eligible to stand, under false claims that the supervision role they played during section and branch conferences in the district disqualified them,” claimed the disgruntled members.
They went on to say the party's election procedures state that members shall not be eligible to stand as candidates only at the elections they are required to supervise and control.
“The three were not in charge of elections during the district conference, but were delegated from branch level to stand as candidates for district leadership positions,” argued the unhappy Swapo members.
They charged that Amutenya's conduct during the conference in question has led to disunity amongst party members in the district and that only a fresh and fair conference will reunify the members.
Approached by Nampa, Amutenya responded: “If they are true Swapo members, they are obliged to know that we have party procedures on how to raise issues concerning our conferences and not complaining through the media.”
He added that he was also not mandated by any party structure to discuss matters related to the said conference.
On his part, Swapo regional coordinator in the region, Armas Amukwiyu said “the electoral committee is independent and is free to execute its mandate autonomously”.
Amukwiyu said although his office is aware of the district conference held at Onyaanya on Sunday, but that it was not yet informed of any dispute.
NAMPA
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