Swapo must reform
The silly season is now in full swing following last weekend's central committee meeting of the ruling party, which wrapped up nominations for the top four positions. As widely expected, the leadership race has been thrown wide open with new candidates emerging for the four positions up for grabs. The top contenders for the Swapo presidency, namely Hage Geingob, Nahas Angula and Jerry Ekandjo are expected to intensify their campaigns in the coming weeks ahead of the elective congress next month. Their running mates will also participate in a number of various mass mobilisation campaigns countrywide. Despite the infighting, which is threatening to tear the party apart, Swapo is faced with a number of challenges.
The question is will the party embrace organisational, ideological and leadership changes? At the moment there is no serious battle of ideas within the party and that is a huge concern. The party is also struggling to move away from the traditional way of doing things. The party has clearly not yet embraced change and this is evident from the manner in which it is being run. Many a time, the party leadership is accused of abandoning its founding principles of democracy, solidarity, freedom, social justice and progress.
The party no longer has a strong and united voice when it comes to the oppressed and those seeking social justice in their daily life. The party has adopted a deafening silence when it comes to fighting corruption in the public service.
There is no serious attention given to jobs, public healthcare and education, among other priority areas. Are those running for office progressive enough and do they have the nation's interest at heart? Whereas the aspiring candidates will be aggressively marketing themselves with the elections barely a month away, it is our sincere hope that the campaigns will be issue-based.
The contests must be on the basis of logic and what each and every candidate plans to do to take the party forward. The bottom line is that Swapo needs to reform and prospective candidates must come up with innovative, fresh and proactive ideas needed to run this country.
The question is will the party embrace organisational, ideological and leadership changes? At the moment there is no serious battle of ideas within the party and that is a huge concern. The party is also struggling to move away from the traditional way of doing things. The party has clearly not yet embraced change and this is evident from the manner in which it is being run. Many a time, the party leadership is accused of abandoning its founding principles of democracy, solidarity, freedom, social justice and progress.
The party no longer has a strong and united voice when it comes to the oppressed and those seeking social justice in their daily life. The party has adopted a deafening silence when it comes to fighting corruption in the public service.
There is no serious attention given to jobs, public healthcare and education, among other priority areas. Are those running for office progressive enough and do they have the nation's interest at heart? Whereas the aspiring candidates will be aggressively marketing themselves with the elections barely a month away, it is our sincere hope that the campaigns will be issue-based.
The contests must be on the basis of logic and what each and every candidate plans to do to take the party forward. The bottom line is that Swapo needs to reform and prospective candidates must come up with innovative, fresh and proactive ideas needed to run this country.
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