Swapo and the flawed primaries
As Swapo prepares for what is expected to be a watershed congress towards the end of the year, the ruling party is under pressure to ensure that its internal electoral processes are transparent.
The infighting among cadres is not new and it is very likely that the party will be torn apart by the nominating processes at the congress. About 600 delegates will convene in November this year to elect a new leadership for the ruling party.
There is much happening behind the scenes at the moment and some regional elective conferences have been plagued by claims of factionalism and vote-buying.
The dramatic scenes at the Grootfontein restructuring exercise last weekend is a classic example of how politicians are willing to fight tooth and nail for inclusion at this year's congress. The Grootfontein restructuring exercise ended in chaos, leading to a standoff among rival candidates. Acting party president Hage Geingob is also believed to have intervened and requested justice minister Albert Kawana to provide legal advice on the next course of action. It is a deplorable that a big organisation like Swapo is unable to effectively manage its own electoral processes.
What is equally upsetting is the fact that there are some influential figures who are selectively interpreting the party's constitution to support their individual interests.
Swapo's internal democracy is heavily skewed towards churning out poor-quality leaders at the expense of those who can deliver. Gone are the days when every Tom, Dick and Harry could go out and represent the ruling party. The party needs leaders in good standing and not the type that are compromised and with no credibility left in them. It is important the Swapo uses the district and regional restructuring exercises to identity a new breed of leaders capable of taking the party to new heights.
These leaders should not be turned into the lapdogs of the authority, but their mandates should be clear in delivering and addressing the bread and butter issues in all the constituencies of our republic.
The infighting among cadres is not new and it is very likely that the party will be torn apart by the nominating processes at the congress. About 600 delegates will convene in November this year to elect a new leadership for the ruling party.
There is much happening behind the scenes at the moment and some regional elective conferences have been plagued by claims of factionalism and vote-buying.
The dramatic scenes at the Grootfontein restructuring exercise last weekend is a classic example of how politicians are willing to fight tooth and nail for inclusion at this year's congress. The Grootfontein restructuring exercise ended in chaos, leading to a standoff among rival candidates. Acting party president Hage Geingob is also believed to have intervened and requested justice minister Albert Kawana to provide legal advice on the next course of action. It is a deplorable that a big organisation like Swapo is unable to effectively manage its own electoral processes.
What is equally upsetting is the fact that there are some influential figures who are selectively interpreting the party's constitution to support their individual interests.
Swapo's internal democracy is heavily skewed towards churning out poor-quality leaders at the expense of those who can deliver. Gone are the days when every Tom, Dick and Harry could go out and represent the ruling party. The party needs leaders in good standing and not the type that are compromised and with no credibility left in them. It is important the Swapo uses the district and regional restructuring exercises to identity a new breed of leaders capable of taking the party to new heights.
These leaders should not be turned into the lapdogs of the authority, but their mandates should be clear in delivering and addressing the bread and butter issues in all the constituencies of our republic.
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