Political Perspective

By: GWEN LISTER

SO the Swapo Extraordinary Congress, which was eagerly awaited by a majority of Namibians, came and went, leaving an almost anti-climatic aftermath.

The Congress was preceded by strong indications that there was

change in the air, yet the outcome can perhaps be characterised by

two things which prove the contrary: that the President's

monolithic power base remains mostly intact and that the status quo

won the day with the election of Hifikepunye Pohamba as Swapo's

president-in-waiting.

THE historic three-cornered contest between Nahas Angula, Hidipo

Hamutenya and Hifikepunye Pohamba took place in an atmosphere

charged with tension and excitement, both in and out of the

Congress hall.

 

More so because the President's preference had been made clear

at earlier meetings of the Politburo and Central Committee and,

when only days before the watershed congress, he took the

unprecedented step of dismissing Foreign Minister Hidipo

Hamutenya.

 

If any delegates had therefore missed earlier signals, they

could not fail to pick up on this one! Be that as it may.

 

From those I have spoken too, the process at the Congress itself

was as free and fair as it could be and credit must go to the

presiding officer.

 

Although a 'first' in Swapo's history, the election was

conducted in an impeccable manner to all intents and purposes.

 

Each candidate was motivated (Hamutenya by Mose Tjitendero;

Pohamba by President Nujoma; and Angula by Libertina Amathila) and

had equal time to make their presentations.

 

The voting was by secret ballot and each camp could inspect

every paper; the ballots were videoed and the counting audited.

 

After the first round, when Angula fell out and there was no

clear majority for either one of the other two, there was no

interruption.

 

Delegates could not leave the hall, and voting took place as a

continuous process and there could be no meddling.

 

Any influence, lobbying, trade-offs that happened, therefore,

took place prior to delegates taking their seats in Congress.

 

Naturally after the final vote was in with 167 for Hamutenya and

341 for Pohamba, people speculated about why, with the exception of

one, the entire Angula vote went to Pohamba.

 

Was this by coincidence or design? I guess we may never

know.

 

But the outcome must be said to represent the feeling at

Congress, for each and every delegate voted secretly, and hopefully

in the manner he/she saw fit.

 

Many variables could have come into play.

 

Certain sections of the Congress might have had clear guidelines

(given prior to Congress, not during) as to who they should vote

for in whatever scenario.

 

But they still retained the right to vote with their

conscience.

 

Another factor had to do with the presentations, even the

motivations.

 

Hamutenya's presentation was judged to be uninspired and

uninspiring, whereas Pohamba apparently surprised with an

apparently sparky performance.

 

An additional factor could be weighed into the equation as well:

that the final vote count for Pohamba could have in fact primarily

constituted votes against Hidipo rather than for the former.

 

Circumstances undoubtedly influenced voting, but there is

nothing wrong with this.

 

Judging from the views of several people I spoke to, many felt

that because the President had agreed to step down and go quietly,

he should be given his final wish:the candidate of his choice.

 

Others may have looked at future scenarios, particularly the

stability or continuity, factor.

 

An outcome in favour of Hamutenya would most certainly have

meant a rocky road ahead, despite the President's assurances that

he would accept the outcome.

 

We all know he would not have.

 

Does the Pohamba victory (of 341 votes as opposed to Hamutenya's

167) mean an effective fourth term for the President? In some ways,

yes.

 

In others, perhaps not.

 

Once in power, perhaps Pohamba will assert himself, perhaps

not.

 

I take the latter viewpoint, and I do believe that Nujoma's

influence will endure throughout the Pohamba term.

 

The scenarios would have been different whichever way the chips

had fallen.

 

If Pohamba had gone out first round, leaving Hamutenya and

Angula, one wonders which way things would have gone.

 

Likewise if Hamutenya had fallen out in the first round.

 

For better or for worse, we have to accept the outcome:Congress

voted for the conservative option - continuity and the status quo -

rather than for possible innovation and change.

 

As for the candidates themselves:one got the prize; another kept

his job; and a third is out in the cold.

 

There's still major damage control to be done by Swapo in order

to mend the rift.

 

---

NOTE: This is a re-post of the article from June 4, which for some

reason did not upload properly. We apologise for the

inconvenience.

 

THE historic three-cornered contest between Nahas Angula, Hidipo

Hamutenya and Hifikepunye Pohamba took place in an atmosphere

charged with tension and excitement, both in and out of the

Congress hall.More so because the President's preference had been

made clear at earlier meetings of the Politburo and Central

Committee and, when only days before the watershed congress, he

took the unprecedented step of dismissing Foreign Minister Hidipo

Hamutenya.If any delegates had therefore missed earlier signals,

they could not fail to pick up on this one! Be that as it may.From

those I have spoken too, the process at the Congress itself was as

free and fair as it could be and credit must go to the presiding

officer.Although a 'first' in Swapo's history, the election was

conducted in an impeccable manner to all intents and purposes.Each

candidate was motivated (Hamutenya by Mose Tjitendero; Pohamba by

President Nujoma; and Angula by Libertina Amathila) and had equal

time to make their presentations.The voting was by secret ballot

and each camp could inspect every paper; the ballots were videoed

and the counting audited.After the first round, when Angula fell

out and there was no clear majority for either one of the other

two, there was no interruption.Delegates could not leave the hall,

and voting took place as a continuous process and there could be no

meddling.Any influence, lobbying, trade-offs that happened,

therefore, took place prior to delegates taking their seats in

Congress.Naturally after the final vote was in with 167 for

Hamutenya and 341 for Pohamba, people speculated about why, with

the exception of one, the entire Angula vote went to Pohamba.Was

this by coincidence or design? I guess we may never know.But the

outcome must be said to represent the feeling at Congress, for each

and every delegate voted secretly, and hopefully in the manner

he/she saw fit.Many variables could have come into play.Certain

sections of the Congress might have had clear guidelines (given

prior to Congress, not during) as to who they should vote for in

whatever scenario.But they still retained the right to vote with

their conscience.Another factor had to do with the presentations,

even the motivations.Hamutenya's presentation was judged to be

uninspired and uninspiring, whereas Pohamba apparently surprised

with an apparently sparky performance.An additional factor could be

weighed into the equation as well: that the final vote count for

Pohamba could have in fact primarily constituted votes against

Hidipo rather than for the former.Circumstances undoubtedly

influenced voting, but there is nothing wrong with this.Judging

from the views of several people I spoke to, many felt that because

the President had agreed to step down and go quietly, he should be

given his final wish:the candidate of his choice.Others may have

looked at future scenarios, particularly the stability or

continuity, factor.An outcome in favour of Hamutenya would most

certainly have meant a rocky road ahead, despite the President's

assurances that he would accept the outcome.We all know he would

not have.Does the Pohamba victory (of 341 votes as opposed to

Hamutenya's 167) mean an effective fourth term for the President?

In some ways, yes.In others, perhaps not.Once in power, perhaps

Pohamba will assert himself, perhaps not.I take the latter

viewpoint, and I do believe that Nujoma's influence will endure

throughout the Pohamba term.The scenarios would have been different

whichever way the chips had fallen.If Pohamba had gone out first

round, leaving Hamutenya and Angula, one wonders which way things

would have gone.Likewise if Hamutenya had fallen out in the first

round.For better or for worse, we have to accept the

outcome:Congress voted for the conservative option - continuity and

the status quo - rather than for possible innovation and change.As

for the candidates themselves:one got the prize; another kept his

job; and a third is out in the cold.There's still major damage

control to be done by Swapo in order to mend the rift.---

NOTE: This is a re-post of the article from June 4, which for some

reason did not upload properly. We apologise for the inconvenience.

---