EDITORIAL: SPYL must ‘man’ up

The Swapo Party Youth League’s (SPYL) appeal for the ruling party to reserve automatic seats for them in parliament is problematic on so many levels. While history clearly shows that the old guard has outfoxed the youth at every interval of intra-party elections, automatic promotion to positions on the basis of age still reeks of medieval backwardness.

In truth, Swapo currently boasts one of its weakest youth leaders in history. This sad truth cannot be camouflaged with automatic promotions of people with chequered credentials. In the midst of this economic struggle and battle of ideas, Swapo cannot afford to ignore meritocracy and go with age sentimentalism.

There is no proof that youthful leaders are inherently more capable of advancing the nation than their more senior comrades. Delegates at the party electoral college ought to know who can best represent Swapo and deliver on its manifesto. The youth quota system being proposed will promote mediocrity and set a dangerous precedent that others might replicate.

That precedent could mean, for example, white members of the party demanding a quota of seats in parliament, followed by veterans of the liberation struggle and God knows what other groupings. Even more comical would be a situation where elders in the future demand a quota because, suddenly, the youth are in the majority. What's good for the goose is good for the gander, right? Swapo youth must emulate the likes of current ministers Pohamba Shifeta and Peya Mushelenga, who have dominated internal party elections without a superficial push from behind.