Pohamba a ‘one-term’ man, predicts analyst

PRESIDENT Hifikepunye Pohamba will serve only one term as leader of Namibia, a well-known political analyst predicted this week.

Henning Melber described Pohamba as a “one-term President” and claimed that some members of Swapo’s top brass had already started quietly positioning themselves to take over from him. Melber was sharing his analysis in Windhoek on Wednesday of Namibia’s presidential transition, in which he gave a breakdown of “well-timed” events that led to the handover to Pohamba from former President Sam Nujoma.He said Pohamba was groomed to take over from Nujoma but it was still up to the former President how he defined his successor’s role in the party.Nujoma continues to be the President of Swapo and is deputised by Pohamba.”We had similar situations somewhere else on the continent.In Tanzania, (Julius) Nyerere opted out,” he said.Melber said it was not clear whether Pohamba was “exclusively continuity or transition”.During the campaign for Swapo’s vice presidency and even for the country’s leadership, Pohamba was touted as a candidate who would guarantee continuity.”He might be more than continuity.His statements so far attest to that,” Melber said.Since the very first day of his inauguration, Pohamba has preached anti-corruption and effective service delivery in the public service.Many view his stance as more than mere talk and believed that Pohamba would be “remote-controlled” as initially suggested.”Pohamba won’t come out and say that he does things differently,” Melber said.According to the former head of the Namibia Economic Policy Research Unit (Nepru), some senior Swapo leaders have already started positioning themselves to challenge for the Presidency once Pohamba steps down after five years.He said the next two to three years would be crucial, as the preferred candidate would be lined up once Nujoma had made way for Pohamba as Swapo President.Pohamba, as Secretary General of the party, was one of those who engineered Nujoma’s third term.He was subsequently moved into the vice president’s position.Melber expects that the next vice president of Swapo will be the person to take over, as happened in Pohamba’s case.(Read more on the opinion column)Melber was sharing his analysis in Windhoek on Wednesday of Namibia’s presidential transition, in which he gave a breakdown of “well-timed” events that led to the handover to Pohamba from former President Sam Nujoma.He said Pohamba was groomed to take over from Nujoma but it was still up to the former President how he defined his successor’s role in the party.Nujoma continues to be the President of Swapo and is deputised by Pohamba.”We had similar situations somewhere else on the continent.In Tanzania, (Julius) Nyerere opted out,” he said.Melber said it was not clear whether Pohamba was “exclusively continuity or transition”.During the campaign for Swapo’s vice presidency and even for the country’s leadership, Pohamba was touted as a candidate who would guarantee continuity.”He might be more than continuity.His statements so far attest to that,” Melber said.Since the very first day of his inauguration, Pohamba has preached anti-corruption and effective service delivery in the public service.Many view his stance as more than mere talk and believed that Pohamba would be “remote-controlled” as initially suggested.”Pohamba won’t come out and say that he does things differently,” Melber said.According to the former head of the Namibia Economic Policy Research Unit (Nepru), some senior Swapo leaders have already started positioning themselves to challenge for the Presidency once Pohamba steps down after five years.He said the next two to three years would be crucial, as the preferred candidate would be lined up once Nujoma had made way for Pohamba as Swapo President.Pohamba, as Secretary General of the party, was one of those who engineered Nujoma’s third term.He was subsequently moved into the vice president’s position.Melber expects that the next vice president of Swapo will be the person to take over, as happened in Pohamba’s case.(Read more on the opinion column)