I’m not in politburo to fight Hage battles – Hanse-Himarwa

Former education minister Katrina Hanse-Himarwa, a trusted ally of President Hage Geingob, says she was appointed to the Swapo politburo due to her experience and extensive work in the party – amid claims she was planted in that structure to fight for the head of state.

Geingob, who is believed to have lost much of his influence following last year’s election congress, nominated Hanse-Himarwa and his personal lawyer Sisa Namandje to the politburo in December.

The former education minister has a corruption conviction on her name from a 2019 court ruling related to the distribution of houses in the Hardap Region where she was governor. Her attempt to appeal the conviction was thrown out.

Her appointment to the politburo by Geingob, ahead of perceived ‘clean’ members of the party, evoked murmurs of discontent within the Swapo rank and file. Hanse-Himarwa is among those credited with helping propel Geingob to the party and state presidency.

Her appointment is seen by some as payback for particularly the support she gave Geingob since the 2012 congress, while others believe this is part of a ploy by the head of state to strengthen his weakening support within both the central committee and the politburo.

The two structures are now bursting at the seams with supporters of Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, who was re-elected as party vice-president and its candidate for the 2024 national presidential election.

‘Integrity and credibility’

Hanse-Himarwa, speaking on The Agenda - which screens this Sunday at 19:00 - said her adversaries in the party have nothing left in their arsenal apart from her 2019 conviction.

“Those irritated by the Katrina character, those who think Katrina is too much, have nothing else to use against me. Every time, they shout ‘corruption!’ to bring me down, but they won’t break me down,” she said.

Contesting her conviction, she said: “I am a woman of integrity and credibility – all my life. If you don’t believe it, that’s your own story”.

She said she was nominated to the politburo because of her work in the party.

“This is my fourth consecutive term in the central committee – since the death of my uncle Hendrik Witbooi, whom I replaced as I was next on the party list.”

“And this is my third consecutive term as a politburo member. I’m grateful to the president because Swapo, as a mass movement, has many leaders and I’m the one he chose – so I am deeply humbled. Those who are complaining about my appointment are perhaps just jealous.”

Not a Hage soldier

On assertions that she was planted in the politburo to fight Geingob’s battles, she said: “Those making such allegations clearly don’t know Hage Geingob. I’m too small to fight a Hage Geingob fight. Katrina is a lightweight for Hage to think ‘she must come and rescue me’, come on.

"Central committee is not a battlefield, it’s a platform of ideas on how to serve Namibians.”

She added that even if she is now in the minority, the central committee and politburo function not because of the numbers of supporters, but through established frameworks.

“Numbers are a non-factor. Having numbers doesn’t mean you’re in charge. You still have to follow the party guidelines.”

Geingob last year announced that he will serve his full term as party president until the 2027 congress, even if Nandi-Ndaitwah is elected head of state next year. This would create two centres of power, a scenario he has historically disliked.