Call for meritocracy in Swapo

FORMER prime minister Nahas Angula says the ruling party must consider voting for its prospective members of parliament on merit at the weekend.

He said people should not be elected to the party’s parliamentary list based on the perception that they are “going to eat, as many of them are saying”.

“Some people think that going to parliament is to get a job so that they can get an income. I don’t believe in that notion. People must go to parliament because they want to serve the nation, not because they want to go and start “eating”. Capacity, commitment, integrity and hard work should be the prerequisites for someone to be sent to parliament,” Angula stated.

His comments come at a time when the party’s old guard is being criticised for clinging to power.

Swapo Party Youth League secretary Ephraim Nekongo has also called for the inclusion of more young people in leadership positions.

Nekongo – who is known as a yes-man of the current administration – told The Namibian this week that he will only support young people at the elections, as they look to fulfil the promises they made to the youth.

Angula, however, said young people should also prove that they have the capacity to serve to be considered for positions.

“Sometimes, some of the young people do not have the capacity to be in parliament. Some of them will go there, but they will not even contribute meaningfully to debates. Some of them don’t even know how to do a simple thing like moving a motion or reading a bill.

“So, if we are going to choose people to go to parliament, it must strictly depend on their capacity to make a meaningful contribution,” he added.

The former prime minister also expressed concern that the ruling party had allowed members who have been convicted of corruption to contest for places on the parliamentary list.

By allowing convicted members to contest, Angula said, the party will lose the trust and respect of the public.

“Integrity is very important when you intend serving the public. People should not strive to serve themselves, so if the party is allowing those people to go to parliament, they are sending a wrong message to future generations,” he stressed.

The ruling party is set to hold its electoral college in Windhoek this weekend.

An electoral college is an internal election by all political parties participating in the National Assembly elections to draw up a list of 96 members who will be allocated seats in the National Assembly, according to a party’s performance in national elections.

Over 200 Swapo members are set to convene in Windhoek at the weekend to draw up the 96-member list.

All central committee members and current Swapo members of parliament are automatic candidates at the ‘pot’.

Several Swapo members of parliament – most in their 70s – are among those vying for inclusion on the party list.

Among those eyeing a spot on the list is speaker of the National Assembly Peter Katjavivi, who turned 78 this year.

Poverty eradication minister Zephania Kameeta (74), labour minister Erkki Nghimtina (70), health minister Kalumbi Shangula (70), as well as safety and security minister Charles Namholo (69) are in the contest for a spot on the list.

Others are deputy speaker of the National Assembly Loide Kasingo (65), land reform minister Uutoni Nujoma (66), Swapo MP Ida Hoffman (71), National Council chairperson Margaret Mensah-Williams (65), agriculture minister Alpheus !Naruseb (65) and home affairs minister Frans Kapofi (66).

Former home affairs minister Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana (66) has also confirmed her ambitions to secure yet another parliamentary seat at the electoral college.

Iivula-Ithana said she will not be deterred by calls for Swapo’s senior leaders to retire because she wants to serve the people.

She told The Namibian this week that she does not see anything wrong with people who are over the age of 70 years standing for political positions. She said the fact that there is no law limiting the age for being in parliament shows that there was no age limit in politics, as opposed to the public service.

Therefore, she reasoned, if young people want to get to parliament, there was nothing stopping them from contesting, but “they must work hard to earn the positions”.

“It is not written anywhere. I was young myself, and I did what young people are expected to do, and those who were there recognised my ability and elevated me into positions. There shouldn’t be any entitlement for people to want to be wheelbarrowed into positions. People must just work hard to earn their positions,” she said.

The Namibian understands that some Swapo MPs have indicated to secretary general Sophia Shaningwa that they will not take up parliamentary seats after this year’s elections in November.

Among them are former trade and industrialisation minister Immanuel Ngatjizeko, current Namibian ambassador to China, Elia Kaiyamo, and Swapo veteran politician Asser Kapere.

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