Swapo must realise credibility is currency

It is true that, as a voluntary association, the ruling party Swapo is entitled to internal activities without interference from outsiders. Those who demand to become involved in its internal affairs are as idiotic as those inside Swapo who believe that others should not express opinions about the organisation because they are not members.

One is allowed to collect, cook, and eat as many beans as one chooses without anyone bothering them.

What is of concern is when, after consuming kilograms of beans, you enter public spaces and start releasing unpleasant odours after positioning your buttocks a few centimetres from their noses and food plates.

As Namibians, we do not need permission from Swapo to observe its politics and form opinions. Had Swapo desired to operate secretly, they would have chosen a private place with a disclaimer stating "private, right of entry, and continued stay are subject to our feelings".

Or simply stated, had Swapo been a brothel, we would not be spending time writing columns about it.

For as long as it exists in our public spaces, contesting and exercising public power, it will be subjected to our sharp eyes, minds and tongues.

It is for this reason that no Swapo politician, including its aged president, will dissuade us from discussing its gross incompetence and chaotic administrative machinery, as exposed during the recent seventh congress.

There is consensus that, since independence, this has been the most chaotic period of electoral politics in the life of Swapo.

Electoral chaos has apparently been around for a while, but perhaps it was better managed or protected previously.

The party president, Hage Geingob, told 700-plus delegates that losing candidates must not cry when cheated, for he was cheated – twice in Swapo internal elections.

Who else can speak about the content and character of an organisation, including its history, than its 81-year-old president, who has been a member for more than 50 years? Some years ago, this party bought electoral voting machines and imposed them on Namibian voters.

It claimed that Namibia must follow technological advancements. There was no single African country that had used these machines at the time.

Swapo never used these machines during its congress but contended that they are good for the country.

It is not that they didn’t have the machines.

The Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) had given these machines to a Swapo minister – who is now in jail for four years facing corruption charges – to use these machines in one of the regions in the north.

It is common knowledge that these machines apparently fell off a trailer.

The recent Swapo cheating confirmation statement by President Geingob, when considered against these historical events, assists us in understanding what we are dealing with.

Apparently wrong results were announced by the presiding officer Joshua Kaumbi.

The entire theatre was brought to the public through live coverage by the national broadcaster, NBC, which was reporting live.

Although Namibians were not shown an invoice or bank statement, we were told that it was a paid advertisement.

It is not in dispute that the presiding officer, Mr Kaumbi, and his team announced the results twice.

In the first list, Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila did not make it, while many lightweights did.

On the second list, she made it with more than 400 votes.

While surrendering to the "internal affairs" narrative about the televised chaos on the national broadcaster, we learned that even the insiders were shocked as there is no explanation as to what happened.

No one could explain how a female ballot contained male candidates and vice versa.

It was not explained how four people who secured positions in a chaotic election sat down to authorise a recount/verification for one component of the election (the central committee) and not the one that elected them (the top four).

If salt and spices are put in the boiling pot, is it possible that only some pieces of meat are impacted? The electoral chaos we witnessed in Swapo, which was televised on national television, is unprecedented in the history of our young nation.

The party members can close ranks and sweep this under the carpet, but what is clear is this: credibility is currency.

Muthoni waKongola is a native of Kongola in the Zambezi Region primarily concerned with analysing society and offering ideas for a better Namibia. She is reachable at [email protected] or @wakongola on Twitter.