McLeod ‘wins’ Swapo primary election at volatile Gobabis

OMAHEKE Regional Governor Laura McLeod has finally “won” the ruling Swapo Party’s turbulent primary election in the Gobabis constituency, amid more threats of street protests by some party supporters.

Disgruntled Swapo members from at least four branches in Gobabis have vowed to take to the streets unless the party leadership looks into allegations that the primaries were marred by wide-spread irregularities, which saw some aspirants left out. In a letter addressed to the party’s regional executive committee, and copied to Swapo Secretary General Ngarikutuke Tjiriange as well party MPs assigned to the Omaheke Region, the dissatisfied supporters alleged that last week’s Gobabis district conference that elected McLeod was only attended “hand-picked” delegates.”The Swapo Party community in Gobabis is still awaiting a chance to nominate their leaders and elect their delegates… we are still waiting to hear from you as to what the next step should be.Is the Swapo Party Constitution amended or disbanded,” the letter reads in part.The letter, a copy of which The Namibian has seen, was signed by co-ordinators of the Gobabis’s Ongulumbashe, Kahimemua, Trans-Kalahari and Mokganedi Thlabanello branches.”Another aspect of concern is the issue of meetings being held [by some regional and district leaders] in our branches without the branch leaders concerned.When are these illegal meetings going to be stopped,” the four co-ordinators moaned.Sources in Omaheke told The Namibian that the nomination of Swapo candidates at Gobabis was so flawed that McLeod contested against one of her own supporters.The governor comfortably saw off a challenge by a certain Veronica Mokaleng, whom sources described as a “ardent McLeod supporter”.”It [the election] was just a one-horse race for McLeod, the other contestant was probably put there to add some kind of legitimacy to the rather dubious process,” charged one source.The only aspirant seen as a strong contender against the Governor was Swapo Youth League (SPYL) central committee and national executive member, Ambrosius Kandjii, who pulled out of the race after his organisation suspended him.Kandjii, who is also the national co-ordinator of the Namibian Amateur Boxing Federation, was suspended about two months ago for allegedly breaching the SPYL code of conduct.But many critics have since described the suspension as a ploy to scupper his chances against McLeod.Last year the ruling party was forced to abandon its primary elections in Omaheke after supporters of Kandjii and McLeod clashed during acrimonious pre-vetting campaigns.Swapo insiders in the region are pointing fingers at the party’s regional co-ordinator, Festus Ueitele, whom they accused of having manipulated the primary elections to suit preferred candidates.Contacted for comment, Ueitele, who seemed to had been taken aback by revelations of “irregularities” in the way the primaries were conducted, did not deny the accusations levelled against him.He suggested that the reporter rather speak to the authors of the letter, which is alleging widespread irregularities.”Go and talk to those people, I’m not going to speak to you any more,” Ueitele said before switching his cellphone off.The rest of the ruling party’s candidates for Omaheke in the regional council elections are National Council legislator Killus Nguvauva (Steinhausen constituency), former MP turned businessman Brave Tjizera (Epukiro constituency), Efraim Keja (Otjinene constituency), Steve Mogotsi (Kalahari constituency) and Kejamuina Mungendje (Aminuis constituency).Incumbent Otjombinde constituency councillor, Willie Hoveka, has been given a chance to defend his seat.Nono Tjiueza, Josephat Ndjavera and Ueitele are the only candidates nominated for the parliamentary polls.The trio still have to contest against nominees from other regions to make into Swapo’s final list of 72 parliamentary aspirants.In a letter addressed to the party’s regional executive committee, and copied to Swapo Secretary General Ngarikutuke Tjiriange as well party MPs assigned to the Omaheke Region, the dissatisfied supporters alleged that last week’s Gobabis district conference that elected McLeod was only attended “hand-picked” delegates.”The Swapo Party community in Gobabis is still awaiting a chance to nominate their leaders and elect their delegates… we are still waiting to hear from you as to what the next step should be.Is the Swapo Party Constitution amended or disbanded,” the letter reads in part.The letter, a copy of which The Namibian has seen, was signed by co-ordinators of the Gobabis’s Ongulumbashe, Kahimemua, Trans-Kalahari and Mokganedi Thlabanello branches.”Another aspect of concern is the issue of meetings being held [by some regional and district leaders] in our branches without the branch leaders concerned.When are these illegal meetings going to be stopped,” the four co-ordinators moaned.Sources in Omaheke told The Namibian that the nomination of Swapo candidates at Gobabis was so flawed that McLeod contested against one of her own supporters.The governor comfortably saw off a challenge by a certain Veronica Mokaleng, whom sources described as a “ardent McLeod supporter”.”It [the election] was just a one-horse race for McLeod, the other contestant was probably put there to add some kind of legitimacy to the rather dubious process,” charged one source.The only aspirant seen as a strong contender against the Governor was Swapo Youth League (SPYL) central committee and national executive member, Ambrosius Kandjii, who pulled out of the race after his organisation suspended him.Kandjii, who is also the national co-ordinator of the Namibian Amateur Boxing Federation, was suspended about two months ago for allegedly breaching the SPYL code of conduct.But many critics have since described the suspension as a ploy to scupper his chances against McLeod.Last year the ruling party was forced to abandon its primary elections in Omaheke after supporters of Kandjii and McLeod clashed during acrimonious pre-vetting campaigns.Swapo insiders in the region are pointing fingers at the party’s regional co-ordinator, Festus Ueitele, whom they accused of having manipulated the primary elections to suit preferred candidates.Contacted for comment, Ueitele, who seemed to had been taken aback by revelations of “irregularities” in the way the primaries were conducted, did not deny the accusations levelled against him.He suggested that the reporter rather speak to the authors of the letter, which is alleging widespread irregularities.”Go and talk to those people, I’m not going to speak to you any more,” Ueitele said before switching his cellphone off.The rest of the ruling party’s candidates for Omaheke in the regional council elections are National Council legislator Killus Nguvauva (Steinhausen constituency), former MP turned businessman Brave Tjizera (Epukiro constituency), Efraim Keja (Otjinene constituency), Steve Mogotsi (Kalahari constituency) and Kejamuina Mungendje (Aminuis constituency).Incumbent Otjombinde constituency councillor, Willie Hoveka, has been given a chance to defend his seat.Nono Tjiueza, Josephat Ndjavera and Ueitele are the only candidates nominated for the parliamentary polls.The trio still have to contest against nominees from other regions to make into Swapo’s final list of 72 parliamentary aspirants.