Swapo reinstates 2 suspended Omaheke youth league leaders

TWO suspended leaders of the Swapo Party Youth League (SPYL) in the Omaheke Region have been re-instated.

The Namibian is in possession of a letter signed by SPYL Secretary Paulus Kapia on September 24, informing central committee and national executive member Ambrosius Kandjii and Omaheke regional secretary Salomo Hepundjua that they had been reinstated without executive powers pending a final decision by the party CC. Both Kandjii and Hepundjua, who continue to plead their innocence, have confirmed receiving letters of their reinstatement, but declined to comment further.They appeared before a disciplinary hearing on September 1.Kapia yesterday became agitated when contacted for comment on the matter by The Namibian.”Who told you [that they have been reinstated]…you write your own things there, we have structures to deal with our things.If we wanted to tell you we would have briefed you,” charged the Swapo youth leader, in his usually antagonistic tone.The chairperson of the disciplinary committee, John Walenga, only said: “As a DC we have done what we were supposed to do, we made our recommendations and findings to the National Executive Committee (NEC) which appointed us.The chairperson of the NEC is Kapia, he is the right person to talk to.”Kandjii and Hepundjua were controversially suspended from all party structures on July 17 for allegedly breaching the organisation’s code of conduct.The suspension, which coincided with preparations for Swapo’s recently concluded primary elections for the November regional polls, had apparently been triggered off by a petition accusing the duo of malpractice and favouritism.Among the myriad of allegations against the two officials contained in the petition, purportedly signed by over 50 SPYL members in Omaheke, were that they failed to set up the organisation’s structure for the last five years.They were also accused of having hand-picked and appointed their preferred candidates into positions with out conducting the required constitutional conferences.Some youth league members in Omaheke had linked suspensions to the ongoing Swapo internal feuding in the region, and charged that accusations were trumped up to scupper Kandjii’s challenge to Governor Laura McLeod in the primary elections.Kandjii pulled out of the race, paving the way for McLeod to win comfortably amid allegations of irregularities.The suspension was also viewed by some ruling party insiders as part of the alleged widespread witch-hunt against people suspected to have backed axed Foreign Minister Hidipo Hamutenya in the run-up to the extra-ordinary congress in May.The two are said to be known supporters of Hamutenya.Both Kandjii and Hepundjua, who continue to plead their innocence, have confirmed receiving letters of their reinstatement, but declined to comment further.They appeared before a disciplinary hearing on September 1.Kapia yesterday became agitated when contacted for comment on the matter by The Namibian.”Who told you [that they have been reinstated]…you write your own things there, we have structures to deal with our things.If we wanted to tell you we would have briefed you,” charged the Swapo youth leader, in his usually antagonistic tone.The chairperson of the disciplinary committee, John Walenga, only said: “As a DC we have done what we were supposed to do, we made our recommendations and findings to the National Executive Committee (NEC) which appointed us.The chairperson of the NEC is Kapia, he is the right person to talk to.”Kandjii and Hepundjua were controversially suspended from all party structures on July 17 for allegedly breaching the organisation’s code of conduct.The suspension, which coincided with preparations for Swapo’s recently concluded primary elections for the November regional polls, had apparently been triggered off by a petition accusing the duo of malpractice and favouritism.Among the myriad of allegations against the two officials contained in the petition, purportedly signed by over 50 SPYL members in Omaheke, were that they failed to set up the organisation’s structure for the last five years.They were also accused of having hand-picked and appointed their preferred candidates into positions with out conducting the required constitutional conferences.Some youth league members in Omaheke had linked suspensions to the ongoing Swapo internal feuding in the region, and charged that accusations were trumped up to scupper Kandjii’s challenge to Governor Laura McLeod in the primary elections.Kandjii pulled out of the race, paving the way for McLeod to win comfortably amid allegations of irregularities.The suspension was also viewed by some ruling party insiders as part of the alleged widespread witch-hunt against people suspected to have backed axed Foreign Minister Hidipo Hamutenya in the run-up to the extra-ordinary congress in May.The two are said to be known supporters of Hamutenya.