Swapo headquarters self-funded - Shaningwa
OGONE TLHAGE
WINDHOEK
Swapo secretary-general Sophia Shaningwa has reiterated that the party’s new headquarters are not being constructed with proceeds from the so-called Fishrot scandal nor the Chinese government.
She made the comments on the sidelines of a meeting in which 12 former members of the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) defected from that party to rejoin Swapo.
The party handed the bid for the building’s construction, valued at N$730 million, to Chinese firm, Unik Construction.
“As far as Fishrot funds are concerned, I kindly requested you to examine the books; there is no money that is foreign, there is no money from China,” Shaningwa said.
Once complete, the new headquarters will boast eight floors and 170 parking bays as well as offices for founding president Sam Nujoma and current president Hage Geingob, who also serves as the party’s authoritative head.
During a question-and-answer session after his State of the Nation Address in June, Geingob said all funds required for the new building were sourced internally.
Regional and local authority elections
Commenting on the Walvis Bay and Keetmanshoop Urban constituencies in relation to this month’s regional and local authority elections, Shaningwa said time would tell whether the party would regain ground.
Swapo lost Keetmanshoop Urban to Landless People’s Movement candidate, the late Maxie Pienaar, and Walvis Bay Urban to independent candidate Knowledge Ipinge. Elections are slated for 25 November.
“We have done our ground work; if we win it’s fine with us. If we lose, it’s also fine with us, but what we are saying is that we cannot relax, we have to campaign. We have to campaign like any other person.”
“It’s not fine to say ‘no, I am going to win’, because you do not know what is inside the people who are going to cast the votes. The decision still lies with the people. I will have to tell you later if we won, that is when I will celebrate,” she said.
Defectors
The party welcomed back 12 members from IPC yesterday. Reflecting on the defections, Shaningwa pointed out that of the majority of defectors, most were from the IPC.
“They are a lot, oh they are a lot! Also, at constituency and district level, people are always handing the cards back of the opposition.
“The main casualty is being experienced with IPC, the people are coming back home from IPC and I want more people to come,” the secretary-general said.
According to Shaningwa, the members rejoined Swapo after realising the party was indeed not corrupt.
“Most of the youthful people, when they were running away from the party, they were under the impression that the party is corrupt, but I think when you are seeing people now coming back like this, they have indeed realised that the party is not corrupt.”
WINDHOEK
Swapo secretary-general Sophia Shaningwa has reiterated that the party’s new headquarters are not being constructed with proceeds from the so-called Fishrot scandal nor the Chinese government.
She made the comments on the sidelines of a meeting in which 12 former members of the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) defected from that party to rejoin Swapo.
The party handed the bid for the building’s construction, valued at N$730 million, to Chinese firm, Unik Construction.
“As far as Fishrot funds are concerned, I kindly requested you to examine the books; there is no money that is foreign, there is no money from China,” Shaningwa said.
Once complete, the new headquarters will boast eight floors and 170 parking bays as well as offices for founding president Sam Nujoma and current president Hage Geingob, who also serves as the party’s authoritative head.
During a question-and-answer session after his State of the Nation Address in June, Geingob said all funds required for the new building were sourced internally.
Regional and local authority elections
Commenting on the Walvis Bay and Keetmanshoop Urban constituencies in relation to this month’s regional and local authority elections, Shaningwa said time would tell whether the party would regain ground.
Swapo lost Keetmanshoop Urban to Landless People’s Movement candidate, the late Maxie Pienaar, and Walvis Bay Urban to independent candidate Knowledge Ipinge. Elections are slated for 25 November.
“We have done our ground work; if we win it’s fine with us. If we lose, it’s also fine with us, but what we are saying is that we cannot relax, we have to campaign. We have to campaign like any other person.”
“It’s not fine to say ‘no, I am going to win’, because you do not know what is inside the people who are going to cast the votes. The decision still lies with the people. I will have to tell you later if we won, that is when I will celebrate,” she said.
Defectors
The party welcomed back 12 members from IPC yesterday. Reflecting on the defections, Shaningwa pointed out that of the majority of defectors, most were from the IPC.
“They are a lot, oh they are a lot! Also, at constituency and district level, people are always handing the cards back of the opposition.
“The main casualty is being experienced with IPC, the people are coming back home from IPC and I want more people to come,” the secretary-general said.
According to Shaningwa, the members rejoined Swapo after realising the party was indeed not corrupt.
“Most of the youthful people, when they were running away from the party, they were under the impression that the party is corrupt, but I think when you are seeing people now coming back like this, they have indeed realised that the party is not corrupt.”
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