LPM cracks widen

Party suspends leader linked to ‘formation of new political party’

A Former Landless People’s Movement regional councillor has accused party leader Bernadus Swartbooi of running the LPM in a dictatorial manner amid growing internal tensions.

Speaking to The Namibian on Wednesday, Joseph Isaacks, who served as Keetmanshoop Urban councillor from 2020 until late last year, acknowledged ongoing infighting within the seven-year-old political party.

He said the absence of regional structures has resulted in centralised control by the party’s national leaders, which he likens to a dictatorship.

“I observe it, believe that there is a dictatorship in the party, and I will contest it.

If I am confronted by whomever, I will say it, and I will give reasons for saying so.

“When we don’t have structures in the regions and national leaders govern us, that is a dictatorship.

I say these things without fear of prejudice. I have the right to air my view, and Swartbooi cannot remove me from the party,” he said.

Isaacks also referenced past instances where party members were removed, noting that some had successfully challenged such decisions in court.
Isaacks called on Swartbooi to adhere to the party’s founding principles.

“Swartbooi is a lawyer. He must understand that when the law is silent, we cannot defend anything.

So, he must do things in terms of the constitution we used when we registered the party at the Electoral Commission of Namibia,” he said.

Isaacks admitted he has politically fallen out of favour with Swartbooi.

On Wednesday, Isaacks mentioned on an LPM WhatsApp group that disunity existed within the party.

‘THE PARTY MUST HEAL’

“The divide-and-rule tactics of Swartbooi and his favouritism leadership style is the biggest contributing factor to disunity among us.

Let’s call a spade a spade.

The party must heal. We have a constitutional challenge.

“If there were no micromanaging, we would have obtained better results both in the parliament and in the regional and local authority elections,” Isaacks wrote.

He has admitted to having written the post.

Meanwhile, the LPM suspended its former Keetmanshoop mayor, McDonald Hanse.

Hanse confirmed his suspension to The Namibian on Wednesday.

“Yes, I’ve been suspended by the operative secretary for nothing, but I’m challenging the suspension,” he said.

Two sources close to the party claim former Keetmanshoop mayor Annelize Knaus is one of the candidates to replace incumbent mayor Melody Swartbooi. Swartbooi said she was not aware of any such move.

Speaking to The Namibian yesterday, LPM spokesperson Lifalaza Simataa dismissed the claims as “old and outdated,” saying they lack evidence.
“Mr Isaacks’ allegations are false,” he said.

Simataa stressed that the party operates within its constitutional rules and that decisions by Swartbooi are subject to approval by party structures, including the founding executive.

“For honourable Bernadus to make a decision, it will first have to go through the founding executive and be aligned with the rules and regulations of the party,” he said.

‘NO DISUNITY’

Simataa also rejected suggestions of internal disunity, saying the party maintains an open-door policy through the operative secretary’s office to address grievances raised by members.

On reports of a possible removal of councillors, Simataa said no such decision had been taken, describing the claims as rumours.

He said any removal process would follow due procedure and would not be taken lightly.

Simataa, however, confirmed Hanse’s suspension.

He said Hanse is under party investigations after it was found that he [Hanse] is linked to the formation of a new political party.

Simataa claimed the alleged meeting took place around 25 March at Keetmanshoop.

“He confirmed that he was in attendance at the meeting there [to form a political party].

We heard our members are interested in joining other political parties or creating their own political parties.

We are suspending them with investigations,” he said.

“There is a meeting with him next week in the interest that he wants to appeal the matter, but as it stands, because he confirmed that he was part of the meeting and the nature of that meeting, that is where the party (LPM) issued that directive,” Simataa said.

The LPM has in recent years experienced some high-profile departures.

In 2024, deputy president Henny Seibeb and former secretary general Edson Isaacks resigned from both the party and the National Assembly.

In October last year, the party expelled former parliamentarian Harald Kambrude, who later contested elections as an independent candidate and won.

After securing 10 seats across the National Assembly and National Council in 2019 and 2020, the LPM lost ground in the 2025 regional and local authority elections in the ||Kharas and Hardap regions.

However, Hanse said he did not discuss or express an opinion on forming a political party.

‘ECONOMICAL WITH THE TRUTH’

“It’s a pity that these people are a bit economical with the truth. We discussed the problems we have in the party.

My suspension letter says I have been suspended on grounds of misconduct. It’s not true.

I am not in a position of forming a political party,” he said.

He said although the meeting was attended by a lot of people, only him and Rashid Rooinasie have been suspended.

In an age of information overload, Sunrise is The Namibian’s morning briefing, delivered at 6h00 from Monday to Friday. It offers a curated rundown of the most important stories from the past 24 hours – occasionally with a light, witty touch. It’s an essential way to stay informed. Subscribe and join our newsletter community.