Shalli eats humble pie

OGONE TLHAGEWINHDOEKSanity prevailed late yesterday when former chief of the Namibian Defence Force, General Martin Shalli, who called for the killing – by slitting throats - of those defecting from the party to join its rivals, apologised for his remarks.Shalli, who also served as Namibia's high commissioner to Zambia, made the remark over the weekend while addressing a Swapo rally at Okahandja's Five Rand informal settlement.Speaking to Namibian Sun yesterday before Shalli's apology was made public, Swapo secretary-general Sophia Shaningwa defended the retired general's comments – saying they should not be taken literally. Shalli, in a video that went viral over the weekend, used opposition figures Ben Ulenga and All People's Party president Ignatius Shixwameni as examples of people who whose defection fits the category of those who deserve to be killed.Both left Swapo in 1999 to form the Congress of the Democrats (CoD).“We as a party agreed with what he said,” Shaningwa said.But speaking to NBC yesterday, Shalli regreted his comments, saying: “I take this opportunity to tell my comrades, members of the Swapo Party, as well as any other person whosoever might have been offended by the statement that I've made, I sincerely withdraw that 'cut throat' thing and therefore I apologise to anybody whom I have offended.”“Comrades, friends, opposition parties… The statement was made at a political rally, it was meant to canvass support for my party.”Referring to defectors, Shalli on Saturday said: “They must be slit. They must be killed. They must not be shot, they must be slit.”Under pressure from the public, the general on Sunday said his comments were being deliberately misconstrued to suit a certain political narrative by detractors of the ruling party.“I also made a reference to myself. You cannot stand with people and tomorrow you turn against them,” he said.Polemical languageShalli's comments generated varying perceptions within his own party, with younger party leaders such as Mandela Kapere urging him to retract his words.“Cde Shali is expected to be the first amongst us to defend the civil liberties of Namibians without resorting to such polemical language,” Kapere, a Swapo member of parliament, said.“We are in an election cycle and we all have and do use colourful language on the campaign trail. Unfortunately, General Shalli's remarks overshoot the mark of what constitutes colourful political rhetoric.”Another Swapo member, justice minister Yvonne Dausab, said on Twitter: “It was something unfortunate said by a member [of Swapo] which we advise must be unconditionally retracted.”Ulenga 'shocked'Ulenga said he was shocked at the comment, which could possibly fuel fanatics who may react positively to Shalli's comments.“This is playing not with fire, but with a tsunami. This is something that should not be indulged in; it's dangerous and political leaders by all means must desist from making such statements,” Ulenga said. “You do not joke with this type of thing; fanatics take this as a command. This is to be condemned at the top voice because this leads directly to killings. It is not a question of joking, it is a question of legitimising murder,” Ulenga said.it was imperative for Swapo and the government to ask Shalli to retract his statement.Shixwameni reactsShixwameni said he still had respect for Shalli, but expressed disappointment at the general's remarks.“I have real respect for Shali, all these years. I hold him in great esteem … I am disappointed he said what he said,” Shixwameni said. The APP leader said there was no reason for Shalli to look at him differently now as opposed to when they were together in Swapo.“I am still the revolutionary that I was when I was younger,” Shixwameni said. “I truly believe he [Shalli] can rethink the words he said,” Shixwameni said.

Shalli eats humble pie

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Namibian Sun 2025-09-15

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Shalli eats humble pie

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Namibian Sun 2025-09-15

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