PDM's internal war rages on
The opposition party's leadership has apparently consulted with lawyers on how to get rid of two members that took the party to court.
JEMIMA BEUKES
WINDHOEK
The Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) has dismissed another round of claims that its top structure is working overtime to get rid of two members who successfully dragged the party to court over parliamentary seats.
Charmaine Tjirare and Hidipo Hamata won a High Court case in which they challenged their removal from their party's parliamentary list, gazetted just before last year's general election.
The party has appealed the decision but Namibian Sun has reliably learnt that PDM's leadership has recently engaged lawyers on how they could get rid of the two members should the appeal fail.
A senior party member said if the appeal fails, the leadership is considering to swear Tjirare and Hamata in, and recall them immediately afterwards.
However, their lawyers, who reportedly believe they have a weak case, advised them against this route.
'Unfounded rumours'
PDM secretary-general Manuel Ngaringombe this week laughed off these claims as 'unfounded rumours', saying the party respects its internal rules and procedures and has no intention of violating the rights of any member. “One thing that people want to take away from PDM, and which is difficult, is the fact that our democratic processes are very much rooted. It is very clear that Hidipo and Charmaine had taken the party to court knowing that what they are claiming is not what it is. However, it is the members' right to take this route,” he said.
According to him, there is no evidence that the two members are being victimised, or that there are plans to boot them.
Bone of contention
After the election, in which PDM won 16 seats, the party removed six members from the gazetted list and replaced them with six new faces.
Those who must be removed from the National Assembly as per the court judgement are Esmeralda !Aebes, Johannes Martin, Kazeongere Tjeundo, Godfrey Mwilima, Timotheus Shihumbu and Pieter Mostert.
Hamata and Tjirare were represented by lawyer Norman Tjombe.
[email protected]
WINDHOEK
The Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) has dismissed another round of claims that its top structure is working overtime to get rid of two members who successfully dragged the party to court over parliamentary seats.
Charmaine Tjirare and Hidipo Hamata won a High Court case in which they challenged their removal from their party's parliamentary list, gazetted just before last year's general election.
The party has appealed the decision but Namibian Sun has reliably learnt that PDM's leadership has recently engaged lawyers on how they could get rid of the two members should the appeal fail.
A senior party member said if the appeal fails, the leadership is considering to swear Tjirare and Hamata in, and recall them immediately afterwards.
However, their lawyers, who reportedly believe they have a weak case, advised them against this route.
'Unfounded rumours'
PDM secretary-general Manuel Ngaringombe this week laughed off these claims as 'unfounded rumours', saying the party respects its internal rules and procedures and has no intention of violating the rights of any member. “One thing that people want to take away from PDM, and which is difficult, is the fact that our democratic processes are very much rooted. It is very clear that Hidipo and Charmaine had taken the party to court knowing that what they are claiming is not what it is. However, it is the members' right to take this route,” he said.
According to him, there is no evidence that the two members are being victimised, or that there are plans to boot them.
Bone of contention
After the election, in which PDM won 16 seats, the party removed six members from the gazetted list and replaced them with six new faces.
Those who must be removed from the National Assembly as per the court judgement are Esmeralda !Aebes, Johannes Martin, Kazeongere Tjeundo, Godfrey Mwilima, Timotheus Shihumbu and Pieter Mostert.
Hamata and Tjirare were represented by lawyer Norman Tjombe.
[email protected]
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