Pohamba the winner

“THIS is democracy in action.”

This phrase echoed around the Windhoek Show Ground’s President Hall in the early hours of Sunday after Lands Minister Hifikepunye Pohamba won the race to become Swapo’s presidential candidate and the de facto successor to President Sam Nujoma. “This issue is now finally finished and buried,” remarked one delegate as he left the hall where the ruling party had held its historic extraordinary congress to settle Namibia’s tumultuous succession race.A visibly relieved Nujoma, who had waged a vigorous and high profile campaign on behalf of Pohamba, said:”We have now taken a significant step in the political and presidential succession of our country.””With comrade Pohamba, Namibia will be in safe hands.The stability of our country will be guaranteed.”Campaigning during the run-up to the Swapo internal selection was marred by mudslinging and ‘dirty tricks’ in some quarters, that, among others, saw candidate Hidipo Hamutenya sacked as Foreign Minister four days before the special congress.Pohamba won the nomination after a second round of voting overnight in which he received 341 votes to Hamutenya’s 167.The first ballot failed to produce a clear winner, prompting a second ballot, a run-off between Pohamba and Hamutenya, who won 213 and 166 respectively of the 516 votes cast during the first round.The third candidate, Minister of Higher Education Nahas Angula, won 137 votes in the first round and fell out.In the second round, all but one of his votes went to Pohamba.The 68-year-old Pohamba had never publicly said he wanted to succeed Nujoma.But after he was elected, he cheered Swapo for its faith in what he called a vote for continuity.”I will devote my time to the improvement of the well-being of the Namibian people and the preservation of peace and democracy,” he said in his acceptance speech.After the final result was announced, Hamutenya immediately embraced Pohamba and pledged his full co-operation with him.Nujoma, who has ruled Namibia since Independence in 1990, is set to retire after his third and final five-year term ends in March 2005 and Swapo’s nominee looks certain to win – given the ruling party’s grip on power and massive majority.If ultimately elected Namibia’s president, Pohamba – who some observers charge will be a Nujoma stooge – is expected to speed up the land reform that he has championed with Nujoma’s backing.The policy aims at the redistribution with compensation of white-owned land to poor black farmers.Nujoma, who will remain the leader of Swapo until 2007, urged Swapo members to rally behind Pohamba, saying that he would face “serious and difficult” challenges in the fields of education, agriculture, health and employment creation.Having accomplished his mission of ensuring victory for ‘his man’, the soon-to-be head of State paid tribute to the delegates and said: “Please greet all the comrades back home and tell them the situation in the capital is under control.””This issue is now finally finished and buried,” remarked one delegate as he left the hall where the ruling party had held its historic extraordinary congress to settle Namibia’s tumultuous succession race.A visibly relieved Nujoma, who had waged a vigorous and high profile campaign on behalf of Pohamba, said:”We have now taken a significant step in the political and presidential succession of our country.””With comrade Pohamba, Namibia will be in safe hands.The stability of our country will be guaranteed.”Campaigning during the run-up to the Swapo internal selection was marred by mudslinging and ‘dirty tricks’ in some quarters, that, among others, saw candidate Hidipo Hamutenya sacked as Foreign Minister four days before the special congress.Pohamba won the nomination after a second round of voting overnight in which he received 341 votes to Hamutenya’s 167.The first ballot failed to produce a clear winner, prompting a second ballot, a run-off between Pohamba and Hamutenya, who won 213 and 166 respectively of the 516 votes cast during the first round.The third candidate, Minister of Higher Education Nahas Angula, won 137 votes in the first round and fell out.In the second round, all but one of his votes went to Pohamba.The 68-year-old Pohamba had never publicly said he wanted to succeed Nujoma.But after he was elected, he cheered Swapo for its faith in what he called a vote for continuity.”I will devote my time to the improvement of the well-being of the Namibian people and the preservation of peace and democracy,” he said in his acceptance speech.After the final result was announced, Hamutenya immediately embraced Pohamba and pledged his full co-operation with him.Nujoma, who has ruled Namibia since Independence in 1990, is set to retire after his third and final five-year term ends in March 2005 and Swapo’s nominee looks certain to win – given the ruling party’s grip on power and massive majority.If ultimately elected Namibia’s president, Pohamba – who some observers charge will be a Nujoma stooge – is expected to speed up the land reform that he has championed with Nujoma’s backing.The policy aims at the redistribution with compensation of white-owned land to poor black farmers.Nujoma, who will remain the leader of Swapo until 2007, urged Swapo members to rally behind Pohamba, saying that he would face “serious and difficult” challenges in the fields of education, agriculture, health and employment creation.Having accomplished his mission of ensuring victory for ‘his man’, the soon-to-be head of State paid tribute to the delegates and said: “Please greet all the comrades back home and tell them the situation in the capital is under control.”