Swapo members clash over candidacies

More Swapo members have expressed their intent to run as independent candidates for the November elections, despite the party constitution not allowing it.

Political parties and independent candidates have until 25 September to submit the names of those vying for the upcoming regional council and local authority elections.

Political parties have been busy with nominations. One known candidate is Sabina Marungu, who is running for the All People’s Party in the Mukwe constituency.

Some independent candidates who have expressed their intentions are Boniface Mukoya for the Mashare constituency, Frans Kamina for the Kapako constituency, Isdor Muronga for the Mukwe constituency and Florence Ndinda for the Okakarara constituency.

The Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) has given independent candidates and political parties till 25 September to register for the upcoming November elections.

The independent candidates are currently busy collecting signatures from the constituencies, which they must submit before the deadline with at least 150 signatures.

Katima Mulilo Rural constituency independent candidate and Swapo member Martin Limbo has confirmed the above.
He yesterday told The Namibian that the party does not stop anyone from running as an independent candidate.

“The ECN has given us till 25 September to collect signatures in our constituencies and submit them before the registration deadline lapses, accompanied by other requirements,” Limbo said.

Several independent candidates, particularly from the Kavango West and Kavango East regions, have emerged.

Limbo said he chose to run for the upcoming elections due to the call from the constituency and to rival the current councillor who is reported to have expressed his intent to run again.

However, following Independent Patriots for Change president Panduleni Itula’s run as an independent candidate against the late president Hage Geingob, the party changed its constitution at its extraordinary congress in 2020 to not allow members to run as independent candidates.

Swapo members with ambitions of contesting in national elections as independent candidates will lose their party membership if they are not endorsed by recognised party structures to contest such elections.

This is the latest amendment to the ruling Swapo’s constitution, seeking to prevent members from contesting national elections as independent candidates while still retaining membership.

Swapo’s former executive director, Austin Samupwa, confirmed the amendment to The Namibian at the time.

The specific amendment reads as follows: “Automatic loss of membership once a member is registered or seeks or attempts to register as an independent candidate or an association or as a representative of an association for presidential, regional, local authority or any other election for which such a member is not elected or endorsed by the relevant structure of the party”.

There has also been recent unrest during the nominations of Swapo candidates at Okahandja, Otjiwarongo and Tsumkwe for the upcoming elections, due to alleged irregularities and corruption by some district coordinators.

NOT ALLOWED

Landless People’s Movement spokesperson Lifalaza Simataa says the party will not allow any member to run as an independent candidate as it defeats accountability.

“We believe that a member should follow the right channels to run as a candidate for the elections, that way the party can hold them accountable and recall them as if they were supposed to be an independent candidate in which no one can hold them accountable.

It is something we as a party cannot endorse and it will never be tolerated,” he says.

Simataa also indicates that a member found to be breaching party rules will undergo a disciplinary processes, and if found guilty, could result in termination of membership.

Popular Democratic Movement secretary general Manuel Ngaringombe also cautions that any member found to be running for elections as an independent candidate will be called to order and could lose their membership once the disciplinary process finds them guilty.

“There is no such thing as an independent candidate while you are a member. You are clearly contesting against the party and you are not promoting the principles of the party. No political party will allow it,” he says.

United Democratic Front spokesperson Mabasen Narib says the party does not allow members to contest as independent candidates but encourages them to express their intentions within the party structure and undergo a thorough process, citing that such a contest is against the party.

Narib further says any member who infringes on party rules will be called to order through a disciplinary process which could lead to termination of membership if found in the wrong.

He also indicates that a member would need to get the green light from the party for their actions to be in alignment with party rules.

REQUIREMENTS

ECN spokesperson De Wet Siluka last week explained that independent candidates are required to pay N$2 500 for registration.

“A candidate is required to submit a list of a minimum of 150 registered voters and the form must be duly signed by any two persons whose names appear on the list,” he said.

A candidate nominated by a registered political party must provide a form.

The form must be duly signed by the party’s authorised representative, or by any other office-bearer who has been authorised in writing by the representative. It must also be stamped with the political party’s seal.

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