Team Swapo cries foul, cites threats
Ruling party presidential contender Nahas Angula has made allegations of underhanded tactics ahead of the Swapo congress which starts tomorrow.
Swapo presidential hopeful Nahas Angula says delegates are being threatened and bribed to vote for acting party president Hage Geingob and his slate at the upcoming congress.
Angula, who is campaigning under the banner of Team Swapo, yesterday told journalists that the playing field was not level in the ruling party's succession race.
“We have observed and learned with serious concern that the delegates to the congress have been intimidated by those in authority and are thus not comfortable to meet Team Swapo candidates during the campaign,” he said.
“Some delegates, as we speak, have been transported from their regions to certain privately owned farms as a way to contain them and thereby prevent Team Swapo candidate from meeting them.”
Team Swapo also criticised the party's outgoing secretary-general, Nangolo Mbumba, for not adopting a neutral stance in the ongoing campaign.
Mbumba has been criss-crossing the country along with Geingob to convince delegates to vote for the Team Harambee slate.
According to Angula, Mbumba did not even bother to greet or welcome their candidates to the Swapo headquarters when they launched their campaign a month ago.
“We are, however, not surprised by the behaviour of regional and district coordinators because we have observed the partiality and side-taking by the SG who has been squarely in the company of Team Harambee during this campaign to regions.
“The SG is supposed to serve all members and in this particular case all candidates equally, impartially and should therefore demonstrate a neutral position in this race,” he said.
Team Swapo also accused Team Harambee of threatening delegates that they would lose their government jobs, as well as business people who depend on government contracts.
“Bribery of delegates being offered money in order to join and vote Team Harambee is another trend that has become obvious and a matter of concern. Why buy votes if you claim to be popular and have support among Swapo members?
“Why should our party be led by people who will be voted into power either because of bribery and intimidation?” he asked.
Approached for comment, Mbumba said he never denied Team Swapo candidates access to the party facilities or material.
“I am not the party administrator. I personally nominated President Hage Geingob and I am standing with him.
I will not be jumping around from one place to another… I am proud of my decision to stand with Hage, this is the side that I am on,” he said.
Other Team Swapo candidates include Jerry Ekandjo, who along with Angula is vying for the party presidency.
Other candidates are home affairs minister and vice-presidential candidate Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana, Helmut Angula (vice-president), Armas Amukwiyu (secretary-general), Petrina Haingura and Martha Namundjebo-Tilahun, who are vying for the deputy secretary-general position.
They are standing against Geingob's slate, which includes deputy prime minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah (vice-president), Sophia Shaningwa (secretary-general) and Marco Hausiku (deputy secretary-general).
The elective congress is scheduled to start in Windhoek tomorrow.
JEMIMA BEUKES
Angula, who is campaigning under the banner of Team Swapo, yesterday told journalists that the playing field was not level in the ruling party's succession race.
“We have observed and learned with serious concern that the delegates to the congress have been intimidated by those in authority and are thus not comfortable to meet Team Swapo candidates during the campaign,” he said.
“Some delegates, as we speak, have been transported from their regions to certain privately owned farms as a way to contain them and thereby prevent Team Swapo candidate from meeting them.”
Team Swapo also criticised the party's outgoing secretary-general, Nangolo Mbumba, for not adopting a neutral stance in the ongoing campaign.
Mbumba has been criss-crossing the country along with Geingob to convince delegates to vote for the Team Harambee slate.
According to Angula, Mbumba did not even bother to greet or welcome their candidates to the Swapo headquarters when they launched their campaign a month ago.
“We are, however, not surprised by the behaviour of regional and district coordinators because we have observed the partiality and side-taking by the SG who has been squarely in the company of Team Harambee during this campaign to regions.
“The SG is supposed to serve all members and in this particular case all candidates equally, impartially and should therefore demonstrate a neutral position in this race,” he said.
Team Swapo also accused Team Harambee of threatening delegates that they would lose their government jobs, as well as business people who depend on government contracts.
“Bribery of delegates being offered money in order to join and vote Team Harambee is another trend that has become obvious and a matter of concern. Why buy votes if you claim to be popular and have support among Swapo members?
“Why should our party be led by people who will be voted into power either because of bribery and intimidation?” he asked.
Approached for comment, Mbumba said he never denied Team Swapo candidates access to the party facilities or material.
“I am not the party administrator. I personally nominated President Hage Geingob and I am standing with him.
I will not be jumping around from one place to another… I am proud of my decision to stand with Hage, this is the side that I am on,” he said.
Other Team Swapo candidates include Jerry Ekandjo, who along with Angula is vying for the party presidency.
Other candidates are home affairs minister and vice-presidential candidate Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana, Helmut Angula (vice-president), Armas Amukwiyu (secretary-general), Petrina Haingura and Martha Namundjebo-Tilahun, who are vying for the deputy secretary-general position.
They are standing against Geingob's slate, which includes deputy prime minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah (vice-president), Sophia Shaningwa (secretary-general) and Marco Hausiku (deputy secretary-general).
The elective congress is scheduled to start in Windhoek tomorrow.
JEMIMA BEUKES
Comments
Namibian Sun
No comments have been left on this article