Ya Nangoloh’s Swapo application collects dust

It has been a year since human rights activist Phil Ya Nangoloh apologised to the Swapo Party, former president Sam Nujoma and other party leaders in hopes to be admitted as a party member.His application, however, continues to gather dust at Swapo headquarters.In an interview with Namibian Sun, Ya Nangoloh yesterday confirmed that since he complied with an ultimatum set by the ruling party last November, he has not received a membership card nor feedback from the office of Swapo secretary-general, Sophia Shaningwa.He accused the party, which he “loves dearly”, of negotiating in bad faith after they made him apologise while remaining mum on his application.“I apologised as requested. It has not been signed,” Ya Nangoloh lamented.Despite this, he maintains that he will be supporting Shaningwa – the same person required to sign his membership card – at Swapo’s elective congress next week.Forces against meWhen asked why he is campaigning for Shaningwa despite the impasse around his membership ambitions, Ya Nangoloh said she has performed well over the past five years.He added that while they have had a good working relationship, it could be that the party’s accounting officer fears a much bigger force against him being accorded a Swapo membership card.“I am supporting her re-election. There is no doubt about it because she performed so well and she is clean. You know, I worked with the secretary-general very closely since 2019 or shortly before, even. We worked very closely together to defend Swapo and all that, and I know that she is honest and serious in defending the party,” he said.He doesn’t think Shaningwa has any “personal grudges” against him, adding that he believes “she fears somebody else, a much bigger force, and by that you know what I mean”.“I am not referring to President Hage Geingob. She is fearful of that. It does not bother me; it does not affect my membership. You see, the same force blocked my veteran status,” he claimed.Bad faith“There is bad faith on the side of the party not to sign my card even after I apologised. That shows there is someone who is very spiteful,” Ya Nangoloh said.However, despite not being a card-carrying member, he said he remains part of Swapo and will continue to defend the party.Attempts to get comment from Shaningwa yesterday proved futile as her phone went unanswered.kenya@namibiansun.com

Ya Nangoloh’s Swapo application collects dust

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Namibian Sun 2025-07-07

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Ya Nangoloh’s Swapo application collects dust

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Namibian Sun 2025-07-07

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