Northern CoD leaders cry foul over extraordinary congress

CONGRESS of Democrats co-ordinators in the Oshikoto, Ohangwena, Oshana and Omusati are threatening to go to court if the party’s extraordinary congress is not called off.

Recently the National Executive Committee (NEC) approved a recommendation that an extraordinary congress be held during the first half of May 2007 in Keetmanshoop. However, the party’s representatives in the four northern regions claim that the decision was not taken according to the CoD constitution.When the NEC decided on the congress, it also announced that the number of delegates would be determined according to the results of the national elections of 2004.Thus the region that had the most votes will be represented by more delegates.Vaino Amuthenu (Oshikoto), Epafras Mukwilongo (Omusati), Boas Mwapopi (Ohangwena) and Abraham Ndumbu (Oshana) disagree with the decision.They claim that party leaders bulldozed the decision through to ensure that they get voted into office.”As it is, they do not want equal representation.For example, the four northern regions will be represented by 10 people against around 40 of the Kavango alone.This amounts to a coup,” claimed one of the four regional representatives.”We are in the process of consulting our lawyer who will, no doubt, legally intervene on our behalf, NEC members and on behalf of other members,” the four regional leaders wrote in a letter they said they had sent to the party’s head office.CoD President Ben Ulenga said that by yesterday afternoon they had not received the letter in Windhoek.”Someone called me in the morning to find out whether we have received the letter and I said ‘no’.So I am aware that a letter is on its way” Ulenga said.He also confirmed that there was unhappiness among some members about the way the NEC decided on the extraordinary congress.The NEC is the highest political decision-making body between congresses.Reinhard Kala Gertze, Secretary General of CoD, said earlier that the congress would review and revamp most, if not all, organisational and political aspects of the party.The CoD underperformed in the 2004 national elections and members have blamed it on tensions between party leaders.Gertze said the extraordinary congress would review the party constitution and manifesto and also ensure that an “effective leadership” was elected.He said the changes would ensure a renewed focus on issues that directly affected the lives of the Namibian people, a focus that would steer the party into a consolidated and focused course.They also plan to use the congress to prepare and plan ahead for national elections in 2009.However, the party’s representatives in the four northern regions claim that the decision was not taken according to the CoD constitution.When the NEC decided on the congress, it also announced that the number of delegates would be determined according to the results of the national elections of 2004.Thus the region that had the most votes will be represented by more delegates.Vaino Amuthenu (Oshikoto), Epafras Mukwilongo (Omusati), Boas Mwapopi (Ohangwena) and Abraham Ndumbu (Oshana) disagree with the decision.They claim that party leaders bulldozed the decision through to ensure that they get voted into office.”As it is, they do not want equal representation.For example, the four northern regions will be represented by 10 people against around 40 of the Kavango alone.This amounts to a coup,” claimed one of the four regional representatives.”We are in the process of consulting our lawyer who will, no doubt, legally intervene on our behalf, NEC members and on behalf of other members,” the four regional leaders wrote in a letter they said they had sent to the party’s head office.CoD President Ben Ulenga said that by yesterday afternoon they had not received the letter in Windhoek.”Someone called me in the morning to find out whether we have received the letter and I said ‘no’.So I am aware that a letter is on its way” Ulenga said.He also confirmed that there was unhappiness among some members about the way the NEC decided on the extraordinary congress.The NEC is the highest political decision-making body between congresses.Reinhard Kala Gertze, Secretary General of CoD, said earlier that the congress would review and revamp most, if not all, organisational and political aspects of the party.The CoD underperformed in the 2004 national elections and members have blamed it on tensions between party leaders.Gertze said the extraordinary congress would review the party constitution and manifesto and also ensure that an “effective leadership” was elected.He said the changes would ensure a renewed focus on issues that directly affected the lives of the Namibian people, a focus that would steer the party into a consolidated and focused course.They also plan to use the congress to prepare and plan ahead for national elections in 2009.