EDITORIAL: The arsonists within Swapo
As the 2027 elective congress approaches, the familiar vessels of division within Swapo appear to be crawling back out of their trenches, primed to unleash yet another season of disunity.
Their favourite pastime – backstabbing comrades and betraying collective ideals – is not driven by any genuine desire to rescue the party from decline. Instead, it is fuelled by narrow, parochial interests that slowly eat away at Swapo’s fabric from within. At this delicate point in its history, self-destruction is the one adventure the party simply cannot afford.
Senior Swapo leaders have been refreshingly candid: this term is make-or-break ahead of the 2029 general election. With external competitors already nibbling at what was once an impregnable voter base, Swapo does not have the luxury to tolerate internal enemies disguised as comrades. A house under attack cannot afford arsonists within.
The vice-presidency is shaping up to be the crown jewel of the 2027 contest. Competition for such a position is not only inevitable – it is democratic. But democracy without discipline quickly descends into chaos. If this contest is not properly managed, Swapo risks confronting its external adversaries with one hand tied behind its back – restrained by its own internal fractures.
As a party that proudly proclaims its democratic credentials, Swapo must indeed open the field for contestation. Yet openness must be matched with order. Clear rules must govern campaigning, lobbying and conduct. This cannot be a political free-for-all where anything goes.
Without firm guidelines – and credible punitive measures for those who trample them – the party risks entering the 2029 general election deeply divided, bruised and distracted. That would be reckless for a party that only commands a slender 53% from the last comparable vote. Unity and discipline must be the only game in town.
Their favourite pastime – backstabbing comrades and betraying collective ideals – is not driven by any genuine desire to rescue the party from decline. Instead, it is fuelled by narrow, parochial interests that slowly eat away at Swapo’s fabric from within. At this delicate point in its history, self-destruction is the one adventure the party simply cannot afford.
Senior Swapo leaders have been refreshingly candid: this term is make-or-break ahead of the 2029 general election. With external competitors already nibbling at what was once an impregnable voter base, Swapo does not have the luxury to tolerate internal enemies disguised as comrades. A house under attack cannot afford arsonists within.
The vice-presidency is shaping up to be the crown jewel of the 2027 contest. Competition for such a position is not only inevitable – it is democratic. But democracy without discipline quickly descends into chaos. If this contest is not properly managed, Swapo risks confronting its external adversaries with one hand tied behind its back – restrained by its own internal fractures.
As a party that proudly proclaims its democratic credentials, Swapo must indeed open the field for contestation. Yet openness must be matched with order. Clear rules must govern campaigning, lobbying and conduct. This cannot be a political free-for-all where anything goes.
Without firm guidelines – and credible punitive measures for those who trample them – the party risks entering the 2029 general election deeply divided, bruised and distracted. That would be reckless for a party that only commands a slender 53% from the last comparable vote. Unity and discipline must be the only game in town.
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