Swapo members claim Mbumba let them down
Swapo secretary-general Nangolo Mbumba says he will only meet with the party members in Rehoboth when the “time is right”.
His remarks come after claims by Swapo members at the town that he let them down last Thursday when he failed to turn up for a meeting with them.
Mbumba also urged the Rehoboth community to get their house in order and to make sure the party house is always open.
According to him, he could not attend the meeting because “another assignment came up”.
He added he had received “conflicting messages” giving him the impression that only some supporters wanted him to visit Rehoboth while others felt they were not ready for his visit.
The party house, situated in the central part of the town, has been abandoned for years and is in a dilapidated state.
According to Shuudi Ihalwa, who refers to himself as a bona fide Swapo member, no one from the regional leadership had the decency to inform them that the meeting would not take place.
What annoyed him more is the fact that people came in their numbers dressed to the nines and waited in vain.
“We even organised a braai and were singing Ndilimani songs to welcome him, but he never came. This will make it difficult for us to mobilise people for future party rallies. After this people will surely lose faith in the party leadership,” Ihalwa said.
According to him, party members cleaned the party house diligently and now it appears Swapo has forgotten its voters at the town.
“We cannot afford to go to the 2019 elections with the current Swapo councillors on board. They will make future campaign processes extremely difficult. We must regroup. We must get our house in order. We have at least three years to do a proper job,” he said.
Call for nullification
Ihalwa argues the party will only progress if Mbumba nullifies the Hardap district elective conference results and sends a team to monitor the election to ensure it takes place according to the Swapo party constitution.
Mbumba, however, in response to Ihalwa's suggestion and sentiments said he did not have the mandate to nullify the results.
In July, a group of angry Swapo members from the Hardap Region called on acting Swapo president, Hage Geingob, to nullify the district elective conferences results.
They claimed that the elective district conferences for Rehoboth East, Rehoboth West, Mariental Rural, Aranos and Gochas were conducted in violation of the party policies and constitution, and therefore should be reconvened.
At the time, the group also demanded that the entire restructuring processes in the region be nullified and that the conduct of such exercises be deliberated on by the party's regional leadership to establish a favourable environment under which they can continue.
They further requested that the current regional leaders be replaced with other 'discreet' and fair' and 'impartial officials.'
JEMIMA BEUKES
His remarks come after claims by Swapo members at the town that he let them down last Thursday when he failed to turn up for a meeting with them.
Mbumba also urged the Rehoboth community to get their house in order and to make sure the party house is always open.
According to him, he could not attend the meeting because “another assignment came up”.
He added he had received “conflicting messages” giving him the impression that only some supporters wanted him to visit Rehoboth while others felt they were not ready for his visit.
The party house, situated in the central part of the town, has been abandoned for years and is in a dilapidated state.
According to Shuudi Ihalwa, who refers to himself as a bona fide Swapo member, no one from the regional leadership had the decency to inform them that the meeting would not take place.
What annoyed him more is the fact that people came in their numbers dressed to the nines and waited in vain.
“We even organised a braai and were singing Ndilimani songs to welcome him, but he never came. This will make it difficult for us to mobilise people for future party rallies. After this people will surely lose faith in the party leadership,” Ihalwa said.
According to him, party members cleaned the party house diligently and now it appears Swapo has forgotten its voters at the town.
“We cannot afford to go to the 2019 elections with the current Swapo councillors on board. They will make future campaign processes extremely difficult. We must regroup. We must get our house in order. We have at least three years to do a proper job,” he said.
Call for nullification
Ihalwa argues the party will only progress if Mbumba nullifies the Hardap district elective conference results and sends a team to monitor the election to ensure it takes place according to the Swapo party constitution.
Mbumba, however, in response to Ihalwa's suggestion and sentiments said he did not have the mandate to nullify the results.
In July, a group of angry Swapo members from the Hardap Region called on acting Swapo president, Hage Geingob, to nullify the district elective conferences results.
They claimed that the elective district conferences for Rehoboth East, Rehoboth West, Mariental Rural, Aranos and Gochas were conducted in violation of the party policies and constitution, and therefore should be reconvened.
At the time, the group also demanded that the entire restructuring processes in the region be nullified and that the conduct of such exercises be deliberated on by the party's regional leadership to establish a favourable environment under which they can continue.
They further requested that the current regional leaders be replaced with other 'discreet' and fair' and 'impartial officials.'
JEMIMA BEUKES
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