Changes in Swapo ‘a defining moment’

THE apparent seismic shift in the Swapo leadership at the weekend has some observers worried about Namibia’s future, while others are unperturbed.

They say the electoral convention results are “normal” inner-party matters. Most agree that the changes are a defining moment.Fanuel Kaapama, a political analyst at the University of Namibia (Unam), said yesterday:”We are seeing a development of change, but the key issue here is continuity with change.”Analysing the list of selected candidates, Kaapama said with 18 ministers, eight deputy ministers and six lawmakers in the top 40, continuity is guaranteed.The analyst feels the changes are “more a matter of personalities, a break-up of bonds, and realignment of forces” rather than ideological drift.The Unam lecturer highlighted the performance of the youth wing on the Swapo list of 72 candidates as one of the notable reasons for the main change in leadership.Long-serving ministers such as Nickey Iyambo, who came in at 39, followed by Phillemon Malima, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, Hidipo Hamutenya, Helmut Angula and Jesaya Nyamu further down, are unlikely to make it to parliament.Professor Bill Lindeke, also of Unam, said too much “is still up in the air” to comment on what the changes mean for Namibia’s future.Lindeke said many things would become clearer after the elections, when it is known how many seats Swapo will obtain.One of these is whether Pohamba will play “good cop, bad cop” when he takes up Presidential office.Pohamba, said Lindeke, might make some conciliatory gestures for party unity and he “could try to reconcile bruised egos”, but there would still be “a lot of rotating chairs”.The Unam professor said the manoeuvring for positions at the Swapo electoral convention is something that happens anywhere in the world.”Parties are entitled to govern themselves, using their own process,” he said.”However, because Swapo is an overwhelmingly powerful party, what it does has an effect on all of us.”A lot of talented people were pushed aside, and sycophants will rise to the top, not because they have talent and ability, but because they are praise singers.As that unfolds and widens, we are looking at Vision 2070, rather than 2030 …we won’t be able to get things done, ” Lindeke said.At the weekend, one of the senior ministers complained that “a new bunch of inexperienced, reckless, crude and unsophisticated [people] will now be in charge of governmental affairs”.Most agree that the changes are a defining moment.Fanuel Kaapama, a political analyst at the University of Namibia (Unam), said yesterday:”We are seeing a development of change, but the key issue here is continuity with change.”Analysing the list of selected candidates, Kaapama said with 18 ministers, eight deputy ministers and six lawmakers in the top 40, continuity is guaranteed.The analyst feels the changes are “more a matter of personalities, a break-up of bonds, and realignment of forces” rather than ideological drift.The Unam lecturer highlighted the performance of the youth wing on the Swapo list of 72 candidates as one of the notable reasons for the main change in leadership.Long-serving ministers such as Nickey Iyambo, who came in at 39, followed by Phillemon Malima, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, Hidipo Hamutenya, Helmut Angula and Jesaya Nyamu further down, are unlikely to make it to parliament.Professor Bill Lindeke, also of Unam, said too much “is still up in the air” to comment on what the changes mean for Namibia’s future.Lindeke said many things would become clearer after the elections, when it is known how many seats Swapo will obtain.One of these is whether Pohamba will play “good cop, bad cop” when he takes up Presidential office.Pohamba, said Lindeke, might make some conciliatory gestures for party unity and he “could try to reconcile bruised egos”, but there would still be “a lot of rotating chairs”.The Unam professor said the manoeuvring for positions at the Swapo electoral convention is something that happens anywhere in the world.”Parties are entitled to govern themselves, using their own process,” he said.”However, because Swapo is an overwhelmingly powerful party, what it does has an effect on all of us.”A lot of talented people were pushed aside, and sycophants will rise to the top, not because they have talent and ability, but because they are praise singers.As that unfolds and widens, we are looking at Vision 2070, rather than 2030 …we won’t be able to get things done, ” Lindeke said.At the weekend, one of the senior ministers complained that “a new bunch of inexperienced, reckless, crude and unsophisticated [people] will now be in charge of governmental affairs”.