Political analyst and academic Henning Melber has resigned from Swapo after being a member for over 50 years.
This because of “a betrayal of the people”.
Melber says he obtained Swapo membership on 10 October 1974 and 20 June 1989, respectively.
In a letter dated 16 August, directed to party president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, Melber says the recent status of national hero conferred to the late Solomon ‘Jesus’ Hawala has brought back painful memories of the darkest chapter in the history of the party, which it has failed to acknowledge or take responsibility for .
“You have praised him as an iconic figure of the Namibian revolution and declared to celebrate his life spent in pursuit of freedom, peace, unity and prosperity for Namibian people,” he says.
Melber further says despite the president having knowledge of the matter, she has granted Hawala a state funeral and national hero status.
He says he has no regrets in joining the party, but that he was convinced that solidarity, freedom, and justice were the party’s guiding principles.
Even after learning about the infamous Lunango dungeons, that did not give him an excuse to leave.
However, Melber says he has realised he has fooled himself and that Swapo has betrayed the people.
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