Reliable sources say the youth organisation's National Executive Committee (NEC) has chosen Blaauw to replace Shifeta when he joins the National Assembly in March.

But the NYC remains tight-lipped about rumours that the two Swapo youth politicians will be swapping roles.

Outgoing Secretary General Shifeta told The Namibian that he was not aware of the move, but sources within the youth organisation are adamant that Blaauw has indeed been earmarked for the position.

He will apparently be appointed in an acting capacity until the NYC's next General Assembly later this year.

"Even after the General Assembly he will still emerge as the head of the organisation because the decision has been taken higher up and the Assembly will just have to rubber-stamp it," one source said.

But Shifeta insists that though there are "such talks", the matter has not yet been discussed by the NEC.

"There are procedures to go through, the party (Swapo) first has to discuss the issue and make the decision, because whoever goes there is on the party ticket," the outgoing NYC leader said yesterday.

Blaauw became a member of the National Assembly in October when he replaced former Finance Deputy Minister Rick Kukuri, but failed to make it into the next legislature after the November election.

He was number 71 on the Swapo list.

The party won 55 seats.

Although the NYC comprises organisations from various youth groups, the highly politicised body is dominated by the Swapo Party's youth wing.

Three weeks ago, The Namibian revealed allegations that the NYC was ridding itself of supporters of ousted former Foreign Minister Hidipo Hamutenya as it prepared to start the search for Shifeta's replacement.

The allegations surfaced after three senior officials of the youth organisation were booted in a surprise move.

The trio were National Executive Committee (NEC) member and Erongo Regional Youth Forum Chairperson Godwin Kamberipa, his colleague in the NEC, Clemence Tjitandi, and the Head of the NYC's Youth Health, Gender and Welfare Desk, Sacky Amenya.

The three have since pleaded their innocence, and claimed that the decision to expel them was aimed at ensuring that whoever takes over from Shifeta would come from a "clique" of some NEC members - notably from the Swapo Youth League - bent on instituting reprisals against suspected Hamutenya followers.

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