CoD re-elects Ulenga

CONGRESS of Democrats delegates to the party’s weekend congress overwhelmingly returned Ben Ulenga as President of the party despite questions about his leadership style.

Ulenga shrugged off a challenge from the party’s outgoing Secretary General, Ignatius Shixwameni, by 202 votes to 76 on Saturday night. A few delegates, led by the Young Democrats, the CoD’s youth wing, had hoped to install Shixwameni as president, claiming that Ulenga had become increasingly isolated from the rest of the leadership.The CoD president was recently involved in what some of his comrades saw as unilateral steps to merge the party with the DTA and UDF.The move was seen by many delegates as potentially harmful to the CoD because of the DTA’s apartheid baggage and apparent signs that it was headed for demise.Shixwameni declined to stand for any other top executive post.He said being Secretary General was “too taxing” and he had had to postpone his law exams to next year.He hopes to complete his studies next year and practice law.Nora Schimming-Chase was voted in as Deputy President.The lawmaker beat off a challenge from Dr Elizabeth Amukugo who obtained 57 votes and Waltraut Trumper with 20.Schimming-Chase, who was National Chairperson, pocketed 185 votes.Another parliamentarian, Tsudao Gurirab, became the National Chairperson, beating veteran Namibian politician Moses Katjiuongua.Kalla Gertze, a University of Namibia lecturer, was elected Secretary General by 193 votes to 57 for former student leader Abraham Ndumbu and Nelao Kondombolo who managed 14 votes.Gertze’s deputy will be Rosa Namises, one of the CoD’s MPs.Namises received 94 votes in a position contested by former prisons commissioner Chrispin Matongo, Linus Muchila and Nelao Kondombolo.The CoD’s finances have been handed to Kaveri Kavari who obtained 86 votes to Richard Reif’s 77 to become Treasurer General.Nathan Africa attracted 31 votes.Faustinus Wakudumo was voted Deputy Treasurer General.The seven posts make up the National Working Committee, CoD’s top administrative structure.The rest of the leadership will be made up of the National Executive Committee (NEC), whose members were still to be elected late yesterday.Ulenga said the “new mandate” would give his team three months to garner more support for the CoD in the upcoming elections.But the contentious issue of the party list for the National Assembly members will be finalised by the NEC.Delegates differed on the ranking of the people on the list, with some arguing that regions which received more votes than others should be guaranteed a lawmaker.Others warned that the CoD needed to be careful not fight over jobs and to concentrate on the better governance of Namibia.The party’s congress discussed its policies and programmes for governing the country, as well as the political platform.Ulenga said his party would perform better in the November elections than it had five years ago, when it was formed.A few delegates, led by the Young Democrats, the CoD’s youth wing, had hoped to install Shixwameni as president, claiming that Ulenga had become increasingly isolated from the rest of the leadership.The CoD president was recently involved in what some of his comrades saw as unilateral steps to merge the party with the DTA and UDF.The move was seen by many delegates as potentially harmful to the CoD because of the DTA’s apartheid baggage and apparent signs that it was headed for demise.Shixwameni declined to stand for any other top executive post.He said being Secretary General was “too taxing” and he had had to postpone his law exams to next year.He hopes to complete his studies next year and practice law.Nora Schimming-Chase was voted in as Deputy President.The lawmaker beat off a challenge from Dr Elizabeth Amukugo who obtained 57 votes and Waltraut Trumper with 20.Schimming-Chase, who was National Chairperson, pocketed 185 votes.Another parliamentarian, Tsudao Gurirab, became the National Chairperson, beating veteran Namibian politician Moses Katjiuongua.Kalla Gertze, a University of Namibia lecturer, was elected Secretary General by 193 votes to 57 for former student leader Abraham Ndumbu and Nelao Kondombolo who managed 14 votes.Gertze’s deputy will be Rosa Namises, one of the CoD’s MPs.Namises received 94 votes in a position contested by former prisons commissioner Chrispin Matongo, Linus Muchila and Nelao Kondombolo.The CoD’s finances have been handed to Kaveri Kavari who obtained 86 votes to Richard Reif’s 77 to become Treasurer General.Nathan Africa attracted 31 votes.Faustinus Wakudumo was voted Deputy Treasurer General.The seven posts make up the National Working Committee, CoD’s top administrative structure.The rest of the leadership will be made up of the National Executive Committee (NEC), whose members were still to be elected late yesterday.Ulenga said the “new mandate” would give his team three months to garner more support for the CoD in the upcoming elections.But the contentious issue of the party list for the National Assembly members will be finalised by the NEC.Delegates differed on the ranking of the people on the list, with some arguing that regions which received more votes than others should be guaranteed a lawmaker.Others warned that the CoD needed to be careful not fight over jobs and to concentrate on the better governance of Namibia.The party’s congress discussed its policies and programmes for governing the country, as well as the political platform.Ulenga said his party would perform better in the November elections than it had five years ago, when it was formed.