Political violence in North Attempted murder charge laid against Swapo man

A MEMBER of the Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP) laid a charge of attempted murder against a Swapo member at the Ondangwa Police station yesterday after the latter allegedly fired shots at him and held
a gun to his head during a fistfight at Onyaanya on Saturday.

The incident followed an RDP rally at Nkumbula northeast of Ondangwa, which about 50 Swapo supporters led by Regional Councillor Valde Shejavali tried to prevent by attempting to stop the RDP motorcade from entering the village. Police officers were on standby and held the Swapo crowd at bay. According to RDP member Sam Hamunyela, his party had a branch meeting at Nkumbula villageon Saturday. A Swapo crowd led by the Regional Councillor for Eengodi, Valde Shejavali, waited for them about five kilometres outside Nkumbula in an attempt to stop them from entering the village, Hamunyela told The Namibian. The Police managed to keep the two groups apart. ‘They shouted all kinds of bad words at us and after our RDP meeting they were waiting for us near Eenhana, but Police were there also and controlled the Swapo crowd,’ Hamunyela told The Namibian.’While we held our RDP meeting in the village, Regional Councillor Shejavali drove around with his red pick-up, hooting loudly and trying to disturb our meeting.’ On their way home, Sam Hamunyela, his cousin Vilho ‘Kabila’ Hamunyela and two women, one of them being Sam’s girlfriend, noticed avehicle with about 12 Swapo supporters following their car and shoutingvulgar remarks. ‘They actually chased us for about 30 kilometres and repeatedly showed us the middle finger, a very rude sign,’ Sam Hamunyela said. ‘We stopped at Onyaanya south of Ondangwa, where my cousin Vilhohas a business called Kabila Bar. The car with the Swapo supporters stopped behind us and I wanted to take a photo of that car with the registration number N 2762 SH. ‘One man with a Swapo cap got out and yelled at me, ordering me to stop photographing his car. I had not yet taken a photo when he pulled at myRDP shirt, grabbed the three cellphones from my shirt pockets and my RDP capfrom my head. ‘I wanted my cap back but he punched me with his fist. I punched him back and he fell to the ground, but then he drew a pistol and fired shots in the air. After that the Swapo man overpowered me and we fell to the ground; he wason top of me. ‘He bit me in my head. My girlfriend rushed towards us. She saw him holding the pistol to my head and she wrangled the pistol from him and later gave it to the other Swapo supporters in the car.’ According to Hamunyela, he, hiscousin Vilho and the two women drove to the Ondangwa Police station immediately afterwards to report the incident. Yesterday morning he returned to lay a formal charge. Speaking to The Namibian from the Onandjokwe hospital, Hamunyelasaid he had the bite wound on his head treated. The Swapo member, whose name is known to The Namibian, also wanted to lay a charge against Hamunyela, The Namibian has learnt. ‘I saw his face was bleeding after our fight,’ Hamunyela added. The Oshana Regional Commander, Deputy Commissioner Ndahangwapo Kashihakumwa, confirmed the pistol incident yesterday and also confirmed the criminal record number (CR 42/02- 2009). ‘The other man [of Swapo] hashowever not yet laid a charge,’ Kashihakumwa said. Monitors of the National Society for Human Right (NSHR) observed the actions of the Swapo crowd trying toprevent the RDP meeting. ‘The NSHR calls upon the Swapo Party to rein in their provocative members and supporters in order to avoid any further violent incidents in connection with upcoming elections,’ NSHR Executive Director Phil ya Nangolohurged yesterday. ‘Elections cannot be free or fairamidst violence and intimidations,’ he warned. The incident came barely two daysafter the Electoral Commission had a meeting with all political parties inWindhoek on Thursday to discuss issues related to the upcoming nationaland presidential elections. ‘Among other [things], we discussed the code of ethics all parties should adhere to, which includes non-interference with each other’s rallies,’ a member of an opposition party told The Namibian on Saturday. Several attempts to reach Ohangwena Regional Governor Usko Nghaamwa for comment on the incident were unsuccessful.brigitte@namibian.com.na