MEMBERS of the Landless People’s Movement burnt their Swapo Party membership cards and party regalia at Keetmanshoop on Saturday in protest at the recall of former land reform deputy minister Bernadus Swartbooi from the National Assembly.
Swartbooi last Thursday resigned from Swapo following his removal from parliament.
Swapo recalled Swartbooi over alleged tribalistic remarks and after reportedly declaring: “If I am recalled, I will resign within 30 seconds from Swapo”, at an LPM gala dinner at Keetmanshoop on Saturday, 22 July.
At the event, Swartbooi accused the ruling party, which he referred to as the “Owambo People’s Organisation (OPO)”, of having bankrupted the government through corruption since independence on 21 March 1990.
LPM members on Saturday echoed Swartbooi’s sentiments, saying there was no Swapo Party, only an “Owambo People’s Organisation”, and vowed not to vote for Swapo during the 2019 general elections.
One of those who burned her Swapo membership card was Maxie Minnaar, a long-standing member and former regional information and mobilisation secretary of the party. Minnaar said Saturday’s gathering, mostly attended by senior citizens, was specifically to show the LPM members pledging their unconditional support to Swartbooi as he parted ways with Swapo.
She thus called on //Karas residents not to vote for Swapo during the 2019 general elections.
“Go and mobilise our people not to vote for Swapo in 2019,” she said at the gathering.
“When we joined Swapo during the colonial times, those opposing Swapo mocked us, saying we’ll become slaves of the Oshiwambo-speaking people in our own country. That has become a reality today,” stressed another LPM member, Katrina Isaaks.
Simon Janse, another LPM member and Rally for Democracy and Propress (RDP) //Karas regional secretary, said the late reverend Markus Kooper, who petitioned the UN for Namibia’s independence, in the 1970s warned Nama speakers not to join Swapo because they “will get hurt”.
He said OPO only gained international recognition when it was renamed Swapo. //Karas Swapo regional coordinator Mathew Mumbala yesterday said party members who burned their membership cards have expelled themselves from the party.
“They are immature and confused. Why are they not returning the membership cards if they want to quit Swapo?”, he asked.
Mumbala also challenged party members supporting the LPM, whom he accused of hibernating in the party, to publicly tender their resignations from the party.
“We’re not against the land issue, but prominent members known to be associating with the LPM would be called in one by one to tell whether they are still Swapo members,” he said.
Mumbala likewise warned the LPM not to speak on behalf of all //Karas residents, claiming that only some individuals supported the movement and not all //Karas residents, “as portrayed by its leaders”.
Mumbala then called on party members not to “provoke” LPM members, but to remain calm.
