Swapo slams media and 'disgruntled elements'

The ruling Swapo Party on Tuesday tore into sections of the media and what it called 'disgruntled elements' for attempting to whip up emotions against the former liberation movement ahead of national elections next month.Party spokesperson Hilma Nicanor, in a sharply worded statement, alleged there are concerted efforts to ensure that the party and its presidential candidate, incumbent president Hage Geingob, get fewer votes in the November 27 elections.Both Geingob and the party garnered a record number of votes in 2014, raking in 87% and 82% of the vote respectively.Nicanor was responding to the backlash the party attracted after it paraded a convoy of luxury vehicles and motorcycles through parts of Windhoek, including the informal settlements of Hakahana and Ombili in Katutura, last weekend.Dubbed the 'Swapo Colour Day', the parade evoked mixed emotions, with critics saying that showing off the luxury vehicles in impoverished settlements was in bad taste. Nicanor said the media deliberately distorted and misinterpreted the event to make it appear as though the ruling party was taunting the city's less fortunate residents, when this was in fact to “entice the members, supporters and sympathisers” to get ready for the launch of the party election manifesto.“It is very unfortunate that we have very unprofessional media reporters with principles of unethical and biased reporting, that regardless of the economic hardships our country is faced with, they are still opting to play with our people's emotions – all that in the pursuit of their agenda to try and destroy Swapo,” she said.“Their dirty tactics of selectivity in reporting instead of giving the full picture of what has happened or was being said, speaks volumes on their lack of professionalism.”Nicanor, the deputy minister for veterans' affairs, added: “We know that the aim of these elements is to cause a reduction in the number of seats that the party should get in the National Assembly, as well as the reduction of the number of votes for our presidential candidate.“In fact, I must once again remind the Swapo Party enemies that Swapo remains the only party that has a programme to develop Namibia,” said Nicanor, who also doubles as Keetmanshoop Urban constituency councillor.She said Swapo remains committed to the socioeconomic transformation of the country and the wellbeing of all Namibians.“Further, Swapo is very much fully aware that Namibia remains among the most unequal societies in the world due to the deeply embedded structural nature of this problem. Henceforth the Swapo government continues to take steps aimed at addressing the challenges faced and to build a more inclusive society.”Some Swapo members immediately took to social media, where they slammed Nicanor's statement as divisive and autocratic as it labels people who simply have a different view of the party's decision to hold the controversial parade.“I am not disgruntled, but I should all the same be entitled to my dissimilar view regarding certain developments of my party for which I have done a great deal of work,” a member commented on Facebook.“Your rebuke is immature, insensitive, pathetic, primitive and arrogance to say the least,” another user, a former member of the party's youth league, commented.STAFF REPORTER

Swapo slams media and 'disgruntled elements'

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Namibian Sun 2026-05-13

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Swapo slams media and 'disgruntled elements'

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Namibian Sun 2026-05-13

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