Rift over booted Swapo party school members intensifies
KENYA KAMBOWE
RUNDU
Whilst the Kavango East Swapo leadership is adamant that it will uphold the suspension of Swapo members from the Rundu Rural district from attending its party school, the ruling party’s school national leadership claims that due process was not followed as they treated the suspensions as a mere rumour.
Namibian Sun early this month reported on how the Swapo Kavango East regional leadership had recalled the entire group of Swapo members from the Rundu Rural district who had been admitted to the party’s school.
They apparently misbehaved and were described as ill-disciplined, a claim that the five affected students rejected.
In an interview with Namibian Sun, Swapo Party School national coordinator Charles Mubita said it would be premature for the party school to pronounce itself on that matter as they were unaware of any disruptions as far as the party school activities were concerned.
‘We know nothing’
“To us, as far as we are concerned, we are saying that there is no disruption; there has been nothing because we know nothing, as we are just hearing rumours,” Mubita said.
“What I said is that we cannot say anything until we have been officially informed by whoever took the decision.
“We need to be informed because we are a party school and the party school needs to know what happened.
“I have been encouraging those people to understand that until we have been given an official notification, on our side we know nothing about the suspension.”
A leaked email dated 11 May to Chriss Daniel made the rounds on social media in which Mubita wrote about the matter.
In the email, Mubita wrote about how he and the rector of the Swapo School, Marco Hausiku, who is also the Swapo party’s deputy secretary-general, were unaware of what had transpired.
In that email Mubita further indicated that he had instructed the Kavango East Swapo school coordinator, Sebastian Kantema, to immediately reinstate the suspended students until the national leadership is given the reasons of suspension.
“I have instructed the Swapo Party School regional coordinator to immediately reinstate all those ‘suspended’ students and to have them start their classes without any delay until we have been given a convincing reason for their suspension,” the email reads.
However, Namibian Sun has established that the suspended students have not been reinstated.
“We saw the leaked email but what I can tell you is that we have not received any letters of reinstatement. Maybe they are still coming,” the suspended Swapo member said on conditions of anonymity.
Differences
Kantema said Mubita was well aware of what had happened.
“They must be aware. Ask him [Mubita] if he was not informed. He knows,” Kantema said briefly before hanging up.
Swapo Kavango East regional coordinator Ottilie Shinduvi could not be reached for comment.
[email protected]
RUNDU
Whilst the Kavango East Swapo leadership is adamant that it will uphold the suspension of Swapo members from the Rundu Rural district from attending its party school, the ruling party’s school national leadership claims that due process was not followed as they treated the suspensions as a mere rumour.
Namibian Sun early this month reported on how the Swapo Kavango East regional leadership had recalled the entire group of Swapo members from the Rundu Rural district who had been admitted to the party’s school.
They apparently misbehaved and were described as ill-disciplined, a claim that the five affected students rejected.
In an interview with Namibian Sun, Swapo Party School national coordinator Charles Mubita said it would be premature for the party school to pronounce itself on that matter as they were unaware of any disruptions as far as the party school activities were concerned.
‘We know nothing’
“To us, as far as we are concerned, we are saying that there is no disruption; there has been nothing because we know nothing, as we are just hearing rumours,” Mubita said.
“What I said is that we cannot say anything until we have been officially informed by whoever took the decision.
“We need to be informed because we are a party school and the party school needs to know what happened.
“I have been encouraging those people to understand that until we have been given an official notification, on our side we know nothing about the suspension.”
A leaked email dated 11 May to Chriss Daniel made the rounds on social media in which Mubita wrote about the matter.
In the email, Mubita wrote about how he and the rector of the Swapo School, Marco Hausiku, who is also the Swapo party’s deputy secretary-general, were unaware of what had transpired.
In that email Mubita further indicated that he had instructed the Kavango East Swapo school coordinator, Sebastian Kantema, to immediately reinstate the suspended students until the national leadership is given the reasons of suspension.
“I have instructed the Swapo Party School regional coordinator to immediately reinstate all those ‘suspended’ students and to have them start their classes without any delay until we have been given a convincing reason for their suspension,” the email reads.
However, Namibian Sun has established that the suspended students have not been reinstated.
“We saw the leaked email but what I can tell you is that we have not received any letters of reinstatement. Maybe they are still coming,” the suspended Swapo member said on conditions of anonymity.
Differences
Kantema said Mubita was well aware of what had happened.
“They must be aware. Ask him [Mubita] if he was not informed. He knows,” Kantema said briefly before hanging up.
Swapo Kavango East regional coordinator Ottilie Shinduvi could not be reached for comment.
[email protected]
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