Swapo eyes purge in Hardap

INFIGHTING in the Swapo regional leadership in the Hardap Region has deepened with a recommendation to the Politburo to suspend two key regional leaders.

A party insider yesterday told The Namibian that the party’s regional leadership at a meeting last Friday recommend the suspension of its Regional Councillor for Hardap East constituency, Edward Wambo, and Rehoboth East party district co-ordinator Willie Swartz. This move comes after The Namibian broke a story about a tape-recorded clandestine meeting where some of the regional leaders plotted to boot Wambo and Swartz.Among those who attended the earlier meeting were the Hardap Governor, Katrina Hanse-Himarwa, regional councillors Theo Diergaardt and Barakias Namwandi, party regional co-ordinator Nico Mukenya, Gibeon district co-ordinator Hans Josef and the Swapo district co-ordinator for Rehoboth West Dawid Richter, a party insider earlier told The Namibian.The same group, except Hanse-Hirmarwa, attended Friday’s meeting, The Namibian was reliably informed.Others present were Swapo backbencher Lucia Basson, who is also the assigned political leader to the region, and information and mobilisation officer for Rehoboth East M.Links, according to the party insider.The source said neither Wambo nor Swartz was apparently invited to the meeting.The group allegedly want Swartz suspended, claiming he is neglecting party activities and devoting most of his time to sport.In addition, they apparently claim that Wambo leaked Swapo party information from a secret meeting held at the home of the party’s suspended Mariental district co-ordinator Francis Basson.The suspension of Swartz and Wambo had been on the cards for some time now in the Hardap Region and is a continuation of similar suspensions or actions against other party members who supposedly spoke out against undemocratic practices in Swapo.In the Khomas Region, similar steps are being taken against two prominent leaders – Michaela Huebschle and Shapua Kaukungwa – who also questioned the procedures that were followed to axed them from leadership.The two published an opinion piece in The Namibian in which they claimed that people acting on the instructions of a “handler” were ousting people in various regions and replacing them with “unprincipled elements”.According to them, people “not to the liking of the ‘power-that-be’ in Swapo” were unconstitutionally replaced by hand-picked individuals found to be fit to carry out instructions from the “handler”.Several regions, most notably Otjozondjupa, Omaheke, Oshana, Khomas and now Hardap have seen the move taking place.This move comes after The Namibian broke a story about a tape-recorded clandestine meeting where some of the regional leaders plotted to boot Wambo and Swartz.Among those who attended the earlier meeting were the Hardap Governor, Katrina Hanse-Himarwa, regional councillors Theo Diergaardt and Barakias Namwandi, party regional co-ordinator Nico Mukenya, Gibeon district co-ordinator Hans Josef and the Swapo district co-ordinator for Rehoboth West Dawid Richter, a party insider earlier told The Namibian.The same group, except Hanse-Hirmarwa, attended Friday’s meeting, The Namibian was reliably informed.Others present were Swapo backbencher Lucia Basson, who is also the assigned political leader to the region, and information and mobilisation officer for Rehoboth East M.Links, according to the party insider.The source said neither Wambo nor Swartz was apparently invited to the meeting.The group allegedly want Swartz suspended, claiming he is neglecting party activities and devoting most of his time to sport.In addition, they apparently claim that Wambo leaked Swapo party information from a secret meeting held at the home of the party’s suspended Mariental district co-ordinator Francis Basson. The suspension of Swartz and Wambo had been on the cards for some time now in the Hardap Region and is a continuation of similar suspensions or actions against other party members who supposedly spoke out against undemocratic practices in Swapo.In the Khomas Region, similar steps are being taken against two prominent leaders – Michaela Huebschle and Shapua Kaukungwa – who also questioned the procedures that were followed to axed them from leadership.The two published an opinion piece in The Namibian in which they claimed that people acting on the instructions of a “handler” were ousting people in various regions and replacing them with “unprincipled elements”.According to them, people “not to the liking of the ‘power-that-be’ in Swapo” were unconstitutionally replaced by hand-picked individuals found to be fit to carry out instructions from the “handler”.Several regions, most notably Otjozondjupa, Omaheke, Oshana, Khomas and now Hardap have seen the move taking place.