Youth leaders and political commentators are calling for the National Youth Council (NYC) to abandon candidate endorsements, arguing that the practice is fuelling divisions and instability within the organisation.
The calls follow the postponement of the NYC general assembly by the Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sport, Arts and Culture on Sunday due to safety concerns.
The postponement came after violence erupted at the assembly at Swakopmund on Saturday, leading to the resignation of the electoral committee and the suspension of the election process.
The interim board has since been tasked with determining a new date for the assembly.
Youth activist Matheus Hangula says the violence highlighted the dangers of endorsements in democratic elections.
“Delegates should be allowed to make informed decisions on who they believe is best suited to lead. When they are instructed to vote for a particular candidate, their democratic right to choose is undermined,” he says.
Hangula argues that NYC elections should remain independent and free from political directives.
“The solution is to remove endorsements altogether and allow delegates to decide for themselves. Endorsements may work within a single organisation, but not in a body made up of different political parties and youth organisations,” he says.
He warns against further delays, saying taxpayers should not bear the cost of prolonged disputes.
Former parliamentarian Hidipo Hamata proposes amending the NYC Act of 2009 to allow the chairperson position to be openly advertised, enabling qualified young people to apply through a transparent process.
“The board could then include leaders of political youth wings and other youth formations, reducing the costly congress-style battles that continue to destabilise the institution,” he says.
Former Popular Democratic Movement parliamentarian Maximalliant Katjimune renews his call for the NYC to be merged with the National Youth Service, arguing that the two institutions have overlapping mandates.
“What happened was an unfortunate waste of taxpayers’ money. NYC appears to have become a centre of division rather than unity among young people,” he says.
