EDITORIAL: Swapo congress rigging claims scary

Allegations of vote rigging – and even bribes – in Swapo’s central committee elections are deeply worrisome.If the ruling party’s own internal elections are subject to such damning claims, how can we possibly have confidence in the legitimacy of all national elections it has won over the years?Opposition parties have always been dubbed ‘cry babies’ for claiming rigging in every election, but with the soap opera playing out at the Swapo congress, it will be very difficult to discount outsiders’ claims of rigging in the future.As of last night, some of those who missed out - whether legitimately or by manipulation - were allegedly threatening court action. In Swapo, there are only two types of members who would challenge such exclusion.The first group, and it’s in an overwhelming minority, is made up of comrades who believe in the principle of fairness and strict adherence to party rules.The second, which is numerically dominant, is those who seek proximity to power, influence and resources. Swapo is a cash cow, swamped by fly-by-night members who seek economic refuge and survival. The party is a gateway to keeping one’s mouth fed, so rigging cannot be ruled out.Reversibly, even those who lost fairly and squarely will shout ‘rigging’ in the hope that their political godfathers will toss out legitimate outcomes to accommodate the weeping losers.

EDITORIAL: Swapo congress rigging claims scary

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Namibian Sun 2025-07-07

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EDITORIAL: Swapo congress rigging claims scary

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Namibian Sun 2025-07-07

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