Nujoma roadshow reaches North

ON the final leg of a series of whistle-stop tours that some insiders consider aimed at strengthening support for Lands Minister Hifikepunye Pohamba’s bid for the presidency, President Sam Nujoma arrived in the north on Thursday.

Alternatively, other Swapo members view the President’s shuttling and lobbying of regional Swapo structures as a drive against the candidacy of Foreign Affairs Minister Hidipo Hamutenya. Nujoma celebrates his 75th birthday at his childhood home of Etunda village of Okahao in the Omusati Region on Saturday with a select group of guests.Many will be delegates of the upcoming extraordinary congress which will choose his successor for the presidency.Supporters of Hamutenya have privately complained that Namibia’s most popular politician will use his birthday bash to warn delegates against voting for the Foreign Affairs Minister.They and others also say that Nujoma has privately endorsed Swapo’s other nominee for the presidency – Nahas Angula – though indicating he would not abandon his public support for Pohamba, the ruling party’s Vice President.On his arrival, the President is to meet with various Swapo leaders in the Ohangwena, Omusati, Oshana and Oshikoto regions to ram his message home.Hamutenya supporters have accused Nujoma of what they regard as dirty campaigning against their candidate.At Mariental in April, Swapo officials there were at loggerheads after organising rival meetings, one of which was allegedly aimed at ‘hijacking’ a gathering to be addressed by Hamutenya.The Minister’s meeting nevertheless went ahead – “successfully” according to those who attended.Hamutenya supporters have recently complained about a document marked ‘confidential’, which puts the three candidates into anti and pro-Nujoma camps.They claimed the document must have been compiled by Angula’s supporters.Health Minister Libertina Amathila, who is known to back Angula, scoffed at the suggestion.”Why should we go and smear-campaign somebody else,” said Amathila.”Everything of his [Angula] is on the table.I like Nahas because all his things [sic] are open.He is not secretive.They should get out of the shadow and be open themselves.”Angula said he had been aware of the document for weeks, but did not know where it came from.Hamutenya said in an interview more than two weeks ago that he did not believe Nujoma was opposed to his candidacy.Nujoma celebrates his 75th birthday at his childhood home of Etunda village of Okahao in the Omusati Region on Saturday with a select group of guests.Many will be delegates of the upcoming extraordinary congress which will choose his successor for the presidency.Supporters of Hamutenya have privately complained that Namibia’s most popular politician will use his birthday bash to warn delegates against voting for the Foreign Affairs Minister.They and others also say that Nujoma has privately endorsed Swapo’s other nominee for the presidency – Nahas Angula – though indicating he would not abandon his public support for Pohamba, the ruling party’s Vice President.On his arrival, the President is to meet with various Swapo leaders in the Ohangwena, Omusati, Oshana and Oshikoto regions to ram his message home.Hamutenya supporters have accused Nujoma of what they regard as dirty campaigning against their candidate.At Mariental in April, Swapo officials there were at loggerheads after organising rival meetings, one of which was allegedly aimed at ‘hijacking’ a gathering to be addressed by Hamutenya.The Minister’s meeting nevertheless went ahead – “successfully” according to those who attended.Hamutenya supporters have recently complained about a document marked ‘confidential’, which puts the three candidates into anti and pro-Nujoma camps.They claimed the document must have been compiled by Angula’s supporters.Health Minister Libertina Amathila, who is known to back Angula, scoffed at the suggestion.”Why should we go and smear-campaign somebody else,” said Amathila.”Everything of his [Angula] is on the table.I like Nahas because all his things [sic] are open.He is not secretive.They should get out of the shadow and be open themselves.”Angula said he had been aware of the document for weeks, but did not know where it came from.Hamutenya said in an interview more than two weeks ago that he did not believe Nujoma was opposed to his candidacy.