2003 UDF list dispute heads back to court

A DECISION by some top officials in the United Democratic Front to leapfrog a candidate on its party list for the National Assembly has landed them in court.

In February 2003, the party’s Executive Committee decided to replace former UDF Chairman Eric Biwa, who had resigned as MP, with former Administrative Secretary Gustafine Khoet’ma Tjombe when Otjozondjupa Co-ordinator Archillaus Archie Namaseb was next on the list for the 1999 general elections. The decision resulted in several demonstrations at the time but demands for the withdrawal of Tjombe were met with resistance.Six UDF branches at Khorixas, Outjo, Usakos, Otjiwarongo, Kamanjab and Windhoek demanded that their President, Justus //Garoeb, resign but it also failed.Subsequently, Namaseb took the matter to the Otjiwarongo Magistrate’s Court.In December that year a rule six conference was held to try and solve the issue.It was attended by //Garoeb, Tjombe, Werner Claasen, UDF national secretary Abius !Auchab and Namaseb as well as lawyers from both sides.During that meeting both sides agreed that the matter was “too sensitive” for public consumption and it was agreed that it be solved at party level.However, nothing happened afterwards despite claims that the party was working on the issue.In October 2005, Namaseb went back to court suing the party leadership for an undemocratic move.The case resumed in court yesterday but only for a few minutes as the Magistrate requested time until April 11 to study the documents.After the postponement, Namaseb told The Namibian that the party had approached him again to settle the matter out of court.”They offered me N$15 000 but I told them to take it to the toilet,” Namaseb said.Those backing Tjombe’s nomination at the time argued that the 1999 list was no longer valid as Namaseb had since “slipped down the party list …even to around 50”.They claimed Namaseb needed to keep the momentum of his contributions going, which he failed to do.Others argued that the Namaseb was responsible for around 7 000 of UDF’s votes or at least one of the two seats the UDF occupied in the National Assembly after the 1999 general elections.The decision resulted in several demonstrations at the time but demands for the withdrawal of Tjombe were met with resistance.Six UDF branches at Khorixas, Outjo, Usakos, Otjiwarongo, Kamanjab and Windhoek demanded that their President, Justus //Garoeb, resign but it also failed.Subsequently, Namaseb took the matter to the Otjiwarongo Magistrate’s Court.In December that year a rule six conference was held to try and solve the issue.It was attended by //Garoeb, Tjombe, Werner Claasen, UDF national secretary Abius !Auchab and Namaseb as well as lawyers from both sides.During that meeting both sides agreed that the matter was “too sensitive” for public consumption and it was agreed that it be solved at party level.However, nothing happened afterwards despite claims that the party was working on the issue.In October 2005, Namaseb went back to court suing the party leadership for an undemocratic move.The case resumed in court yesterday but only for a few minutes as the Magistrate requested time until April 11 to study the documents.After the postponement, Namaseb told The Namibian that the party had approached him again to settle the matter out of court.”They offered me N$15 000 but I told them to take it to the toilet,” Namaseb said.Those backing Tjombe’s nomination at the time argued that the 1999 list was no longer valid as Namaseb had since “slipped down the party list …even to around 50”.They claimed Namaseb needed to keep the momentum of his contributions going, which he failed to do.Others argued that the Namaseb was responsible for around 7 000 of UDF’s votes or at least one of the two seats the UDF occupied in the National Assembly after the 1999 general elections.