Crunch time for Swapo

SPARKS were expected to fly last night at a Swapo Politburo emergency meeting – reportedly called to prevent a mass expulsion of senior party members ranking from senior Cabinet ministers to members of the Politburo itself.

The Namibian has reliably learnt that some top members of the ruling party close to party President Sam Nujoma are apparently incensed by persistent rumours of a possible walkout of prominent Swapo politicians who allegedly want to form a new political party. Names have been thrown around and last night it was expected that Nujoma wanted to convince the Politburo to throw them all out of Swapo.A meeting of the so-called ‘Omusati clique’ on Saturday, September 22, at Okahao after the funeral of Deputy Labour Minister Petrus Ilonga’s younger brother apparently decided to throw the ‘dissidents’ out of the party.According to a well-placed source within Swapo, Nujoma, Justice Minister Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana, Local Government Minister John Pandeni and Lands Minister Jerry Ekandjo attended that meeting.Another well-placed source told The Namibian that “the more rationally minded Politburo members” wanted to persuade Nujoma against a mass expulsion just weeks ahead of what is seen as a watershed Swapo congress planned for November 27.”Some Politburo members actually want Nujoma to resign from his post as president of Swapo,” the source said.”That is to be discussed tonight,” according to the source.Rumours that some disgruntled and frustrated Swapo members want to walk out and form a new party have been rife over the past few weeks.They are said to be unhappy with Nujoma’s leadership style, a lack of democracy within Swapo and a stale and stagnant atmosphere dominated by a spirit of yesteryear.”The whole party defines itself around the liberation struggle,” a frustrated Swapo member told The Namibian.”Almost every statement of members starts with ‘when we were in the struggle’ – this is not taking us forward.We need to have a modern party focused on the future.”Other complaints are that the whole party is centred around Nujoma with a motto of ‘if you are not for Nujoma, you are against him’ maintained by his loyal lieutenants.In February this year, two prominent Swapo members, Michaela Huebschle and retired Ambassador Shapua Kaukungua, published a critical opinion piece in The Namibian, criticising their own party for lack of democratic principles and “underhand political machinery.”The two were nearly kicked out of the party for “disobedience” but some level-headed members persuaded Nujoma not to do so.Apart from Nujoma, President Hifikepunye Pohamba, the party’s Secretary General Ngarikutuke Tjiriange and his deputy, John Pandeni, who automatically serve on this committee, the other Politburo members elected at the 2002 congress are: Nahas Angula, Jerry Ekandjo, Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, Hartmut Ruppel, Nangolo Mbumba, Theo-Ben Gurirab, Nickey Iyambo, Ben and Libertina Amathila, Hidipo Hamutenya, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, Helmut Angula, Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana and Andimba Toivo ya Toivo.Another Politburo member, Former Trade and Industry Minister Jesaya Nyamu, has been expelled from the party in the meantime and the former Speaker of the National Assembly, Dr Mosé Tjitendero, died in 2006.The two vacancies were filled a few weeks ago by Dr Hage Geingob, Namibia’s first Prime Minister, and Doreen Sioka, the current Deputy Speaker of Parliament.Names have been thrown around and last night it was expected that Nujoma wanted to convince the Politburo to throw them all out of Swapo.A meeting of the so-called ‘Omusati clique’ on Saturday, September 22, at Okahao after the funeral of Deputy Labour Minister Petrus Ilonga’s younger brother apparently decided to throw the ‘dissidents’ out of the party.According to a well-placed source within Swapo, Nujoma, Justice Minister Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana, Local Government Minister John Pandeni and Lands Minister Jerry Ekandjo attended that meeting.Another well-placed source told The Namibian that “the more rationally minded Politburo members” wanted to persuade Nujoma against a mass expulsion just weeks ahead of what is seen as a watershed Swapo congress planned for November 27.”Some Politburo members actually want Nujoma to resign from his post as president of Swapo,” the source said.”That is to be discussed tonight,” according to the source.Rumours that some disgruntled and frustrated Swapo members want to walk out and form a new party have been rife over the past few weeks. They are said to be unhappy with Nujoma’s leadership style, a lack of democracy within Swapo and a stale and stagnant atmosphere dominated by a spirit of yesteryear.”The whole party defines itself around the liberation struggle,” a frustrated Swapo member told The Namibian.”Almost every statement of members starts with ‘when we were in the struggle’ – this is not taking us forward.We need to have a modern party focused on the future.”Other complaints are that the whole party is centred around Nujoma with a motto of ‘if you are not for Nujoma, you are against him’ maintained by his loyal lieutenants.In February this year, two prominent Swapo members, Michaela Huebschle and retired Ambassador Shapua Kaukungua, published a critical opinion piece in The Namibian, criticising their own party for lack of democratic principles and “underhand political machinery.”The two were nearly kicked out of the party for “disobedience” but some level-headed members persuaded Nujoma not to do so.Apart from Nujoma, President Hifikepunye Pohamba, the party’s Secretary General Ngarikutuke Tjiriange and his deputy, John Pandeni, who automatically serve on this committee, the other Politburo members elected at the 2002 congress are: Nahas Angula, Jerry Ekandjo, Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, Hartmut Ruppel, Nangolo Mbumba, Theo-Ben Gurirab, Nickey Iyambo, Ben and Libertina Amathila, Hidipo Hamutenya, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, Helmut Angula, Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana and Andimba Toivo ya Toivo.Another Politburo member, Former Trade and Industry Minister Jesaya Nyamu, has been expelled from the party in the meantime and the former Speaker of the National Assembly, Dr Mosé Tjitendero, died in 2006.The two vacancies were filled a few weeks ago by Dr Hage Geingob, Namibia’s first Prime Minister, and Doreen Sioka, the current Deputy Speaker of Parliament.