Political Perspective

THERE’S a mean and nasty man out there who goes by the pseudonym of ‘Ananias Nghifitikeko’ and who, in a concerted ‘anti-everything-but-Nujoma’ e-mail campaign, is hell bent on destroying any and all who are perceived to be supporting axed Foreign Minister and former Swapo presidential hopeful, Hidipo Hamutenya.

But all he’s really doing is messing up the Swapo party, spreading suspicion and as much vitriol as he can in the process. BUT then it’s not just ‘Ananias’.It’s himself and friends and it’s written in language similar to that used by none other than the Swapo Youth League’s Paulus Kapia and his lackey, Udo Froese, and there is considerable room for comparison between these e-mails and the duo’s past joint missives – there are remarkable similarities both in style and content.Part I and Part II have already been sent out, filled with invective and hints of all sorts of weird plots and agendas, when the only ones in existence are their own! Their latest was a lengthy and libelous diatribe about myself which was published in Swapo’s mouthpiece and the Government’s newspaper as well as the SPYL’s website.The abovementioned were happy to publish this, because it was mainly about me, but the e-mails also tackle very prominent and well-placed Swapo members, who would undoubtedly be successful in libel suits against the SPYL chief and cohorts if they wanted to take this route.Now Kapia’s list (remember his famous list? Promised but never delivered?) is beginning to make sense, for this appears to be it.Not even the Swapo mouthpiece would dare publish these mails, which is probably why they’ve chosen this route in the first place, sending it to a vast group of recipients, most of whom have responded with rather unflattering requests to ‘Nghifitikeko’ to be removed from the list.There are many prominent people mentioned in the mails, and of course, media like The Namibian, which is alleged to have “been awarded substantial sums by foreign interests not to publish any critical stories against the fired president-hopeful Hidipo Hamutenya”.Well, sorry to say but the cheque never reached us, but then, perhaps, they intercepted it! Some of those tackled in the mail include Leake Hangala, Gerry Munyama, Vilbard Usiku, Mocks Shivute, and Ministers Jesaya Nyamu, Nickey Iyambo, Netumbo Ndaitwah, and the list goes on.All these and other people are accused of various things, from outright corruption to attempts to bring Hamutenya back into the Swapo fold.And as if the latter was a crime, even if proved true! I have no idea where our Minister of State Security stands on this matter, but if ever there was a campaign which is doing a great deal of harm, it is this one.And perhaps our incumbent President, having himself started the ball rolling on the anti-Hamutenya campaign, should really bring these people to order once and for all.Again the writers are ever-intent on all sorts of plots and agendas, but one must clearly ask the question as to who’s pulling their strings? What and who is behind this campaign, under guise of anonymity, to heap discredit on the heads of all or some of those mentioned simply because they might have supported Hamutenya? It amounts to a total witch-hunt, and perhaps Minister Hifikepunye Pohamba, who is already said to be irritated by the divisive politics that now seems to characterise the Swapo Party (and perhaps this is why he made an attempt at a show of unity between the other Swapo presidential hopefuls and himself), should deal with the SPYL man and his cohorts with immediate effect, for they are clearly on a path to purge the party of people they don’t like and/or destroy them.This is unacceptable politicking.It is dirty tricks at its worst, and I am certain that both Kapia and Froese remember these from the old Apartheid days! Some of the information in the mail is material familiar to Froese.As a self-proclaimed one-time advisor to Winnie Mandela, for example, he was familiar with the likes of Alain Guenon, a close associate of hers, and to whom extensive reference is made in this latest e-mail.He’s also well-tuned to the South African business community, and familiar with the telecommunications industry on a personal basis.So the e-mail is a collaborative effort between himself, on the business side of things, and our SPYL man on the politics! If people have done wrong, whoever they are, they should be made accountable.But I personally object to the manner of this campaign, with the perpetrators hiding behind anonymity to spread malevolent gossip.Anyone who has to resort to this kind of smear tactic cannot have the interests of the Swapo Party or the nation at heart.BUT then it’s not just ‘Ananias’.It’s himself and friends and it’s written in language similar to that used by none other than the Swapo Youth League’s Paulus Kapia and his lackey, Udo Froese, and there is considerable room for comparison between these e-mails and the duo’s past joint missives – there are remarkable similarities both in style and content.Part I and Part II have already been sent out, filled with invective and hints of all sorts of weird plots and agendas, when the only ones in existence are their own! Their latest was a lengthy and libelous diatribe about myself which was published in Swapo’s mouthpiece and the Government’s newspaper as well as the SPYL’s website.The abovementioned were happy to publish this, because it was mainly about me, but the e-mails also tackle very prominent and well-placed Swapo members, who would undoubtedly be successful in libel suits against the SPYL chief and cohorts if they wanted to take this route.Now Kapia’s list (remember his famous list? Promised but never delivered?) is beginning to make sense, for this appears to be it.Not even the Swapo mouthpiece would dare publish these mails, which is probably why they’ve chosen this route in the first place, sending it to a vast group of recipients, most of whom have responded with rather unflattering requests to ‘Nghifitikeko’ to be removed from the list.There are many prominent people mentioned in the mails, and of course, media like The Namibian, which is alleged to have “been awarded substantial sums by foreign interests not to publish any critical stories against the fired president-hopeful Hidipo Hamutenya”.Well, sorry to say but the cheque never reached us, but then, perhaps, they intercepted it! Some of those tackled in the mail include Leake Hangala, Gerry Munyama, Vilbard Usiku, Mocks Shivute, and Ministers Jesaya Nyamu, Nickey Iyambo, Netumbo Ndaitwah, and the list goes on.All these and other people are accused of various things, from outright corruption to attempts to bring Hamutenya back into the Swapo fold.And as if the latter was a crime, even if proved true! I have no idea where our Minister of State Security stands on this matter, but if ever there was a campaign which is doing a great deal of harm, it is this one.And perhaps our incumbent President, having himself started the ball rolling on the anti-Hamutenya campaign, should really bring these people to order once and for all.Again the writers are ever-intent on all sorts of plots and agendas, but one must clearly ask the question as to who’s pulling their strings? What and who is behind this campaign, under guise of anonymity, to heap discredit on the heads of all or some of those mentioned simply because they might have supported Hamutenya? It amounts to a total witch-hunt, and perhaps Minister Hifikepunye Pohamba, who is already said to be irritated by the divisive politics that now seems to characterise the Swapo Party (and perhaps this is why he made an attempt at a show of unity between the other Swapo presidential hopefuls and himself), should deal with the SPYL man and his cohorts with immediate effect, for they are clearly on a path to purge the party of people they don’t like and/or destroy them.This is unacceptable politicking.It is dirty tricks at its worst, and I am certain that both Kapia and Froese remember these from the old Apartheid days! Some of the information in the mail is material familiar to Froese.As a self-proclaimed one-time advisor to Winnie Mandela, for example, he was familiar with the likes of Alain Guenon, a close associate of hers, and to whom extensive reference is made in this latest e-mail.He’s also well-tuned to the South African business community, and familiar with the telecommunications industry on a personal basis.So the e-mail is a collaborative effort between himself, on the business side of things, and our SPYL man on the politics! If people have done wrong, whoever they are, they should be made accountable.But I personally object to the manner of this campaign, with the perpetrators hiding behind anonymity to spread malevolent gossip.Anyone who has to resort to this kind of smear tactic cannot have the interests of the Swapo Party or the nation at heart.