Is Swapo Coming Of Age?

THERE is good news in the emerging pattern at the Swapo Congress this week of a more pro-democratic shift in that the ‘moderates’ appear to be gaining the upper hand, and this could hopefully herald a new era in which the former liberation movement finally comes of age.

The remarks of the Head of State and new Swapo President, Hifikepunye Pohamba, certainly seemed to steer delegates in the direction of conciliation; in stark contrast to the war-talk of his predecessor, Sam Nujoma, at the same event. President Pohamba, the second President of Swapo, made some fairly profound statements, and reading between the lines, it appears evident that he wishes to move Swapo towards unity, away from division and dissent, and towards a more proactive future for the country.”Let me ask this of you.Let us join hands together to rededicate ourselves to the service of our country and to the unity of our people.Let us heal our wounds and let us together restore the faith and confidence of our people in the land of the brave.Let us restore faith and confidence in our leadership and in our governance”, he said.With this statement President Pohamba appeared to urge cadres of the party to put aside differences and put a halt to the witch-hunting and infighting that has led to a minor exodus from Swapo with the formation of the Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP) and alienated longstanding supporters who were publicly, and often falsely, accused of a transfer of political allegiance by hardliners in the Party.Pohamba also seemed to acknowledge with his words that the divisions that have characterised Swapo of late have permeated the country as a whole, causing people to lose confidence in their leaders and Government, and his call was that all emerge from Congress “imbued with a renewed commitment to tolerance, inclusion and Namibian unity engendered to make our party and country stronger”.Hopefully his words will be heeded, and the reactionary elements in Swapo will not be given the platform they’ve enjoyed in the past to sow suspicion and fuel resentments, as was most often the case in the Nujoma era.And although at the time of going to press the official results of the elections were not yet known, it appears as if the new hierarchy of Swapo has a more moderate face than the one of old.With President Pohamba at last fully in the driving seat, so to speak, as both Head of State and President of the ruling party – to be aided by a Vice President in the person of Hage Geingob, Secretary General Pendukeni Ithana, and Deputy Secretary General Nangolo Mbumba – it appears that all (with the possible exception of Ithana, who has in the past often adopted a Nujoma-type intolerance) are voices of reason and moderation, and who can be hoped to steer Swapo in a direction which prioritises unity and strong steps towards the former liberation movement’s coming of age.One of the imponderables right now is, of course, the question of how the role of Chairman, apparently a largely honorary title, will be bestowed upon Nujoma and what, if any, powers will go with the post.We doubt, however, that this will be allowed to scuttle the new-found direction and role that Pohamba appears determined to carve out for the ruling party.The composition of the new Politburo will hopefully mirror the new face of the Swapo leadership, which would certainly aid in the consolidation of a new democratic direction for the party.We hope that the strong, yet conciliatory words, which seem to indicate a now empowered Head of State in the form of President Pohamba, will not just be empty threats, but that he will finally assert himself in his new role to take the Party, but more importantly the country as a whole, to greater heights and a brighter future.President Pohamba, the second President of Swapo, made some fairly profound statements, and reading between the lines, it appears evident that he wishes to move Swapo towards unity, away from division and dissent, and towards a more proactive future for the country.”Let me ask this of you.Let us join hands together to rededicate ourselves to the service of our country and to the unity of our people.Let us heal our wounds and let us together restore the faith and confidence of our people in the land of the brave.Let us restore faith and confidence in our leadership and in our governance”, he said.With this statement President Pohamba appeared to urge cadres of the party to put aside differences and put a halt to the witch-hunting and infighting that has led to a minor exodus from Swapo with the formation of the Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP) and alienated longstanding supporters who were publicly, and often falsely, accused of a transfer of political allegiance by hardliners in the Party.Pohamba also seemed to acknowledge with his words that the divisions that have characterised Swapo of late have permeated the country as a whole, causing people to lose confidence in their leaders and Government, and his call was that all emerge from Congress “imbued with a renewed commitment to tolerance, inclusion and Namibian unity engendered to make our party and country stronger”.Hopefully his words will be heeded, and the reactionary elements in Swapo will not be given the platform they’ve enjoyed in the past to sow suspicion and fuel resentments, as was most often the case in the Nujoma era.And although at the time of going to press the official results of the elections were not yet known, it appears as if the new hierarchy of Swapo has a more moderate face than the one of old.With President Pohamba at last fully in the driving seat, so to speak, as both Head of State and President of the ruling party – to be aided by a Vice President in the person of Hage Geingob, Secretary General Pendukeni Ithana, and Deputy Secretary General Nangolo Mbumba – it appears that all (with the possible exception of Ithana, who has in the past often adopted a Nujoma-type intolerance) are voices of reason and moderation, and who can be hoped to steer Swapo in a direction which prioritises unity and strong steps towards the former liberation movement’s coming of age.One of the imponderables right now is, of course, the question of how the role of Chairman, apparently a largely honorary title, will be bestowed upon Nujoma and what, if any, powers will go with the post.We doubt, however, that this will be allowed to scuttle the new-found direction and role that Pohamba appears determined to carve out for the ruling party.The composition of the new Politburo will hopefully mirror the new face of the Swapo leadership, which would certainly aid in the consolidation of a new democratic direction for the party.We hope that the strong, yet conciliatory words, which seem to indicate a now empowered Head of State in the form of President Pohamba, will not just be empty threats, but that he will finally assert himself in his new role to take the Party, but more importantly the country as a whole, to greater heights and a brighter future.