Swapo squabbles continue in Omaheke

INTERNAL feuding between rival Swapo supporters in the Omaheke Region has resurfaced, according to reliable sources.

The Namibian has learned that this time a “clique” of ruling party members at Gobabis is pushing for the dismissal of Swapo Youth League (SYL) Regional Secretary, Salomo Hipundjua. The group has apparently written a petition accusing Hipundjua of malpractice and favouritism in his dealing with the establishment of the youth league’s structures in the region.The Swapo office in Omaheke alleged sent the petition straight to SYL Secretary Paulus Kapia’s office without first giving the party regional executive committee a chance to deal with the matter.The petition prompted Kapia to dispatch a team of investigators to Omaheke, which has since finished its work and presented its report to SYL National Executive Committee on Wednesday.The final decision on the course of action to be taken against Hipundjua is expected to be made by the SYL Central Committee when it meets tomorrow.Kapia abruptly hung up the telephone when The Namibian contacted him to shed some more light on the issue.”Are you a Swapo member?” Kapia asked the reporter before he unceremoniously ended the conversation.Sources close to Kapia’s office indicate that Swapo’s Omaheke regional executive had demanded that the matter be referred back to them to deal with it at regional level.Neither Swapo Regional Co-ordinator for Omaheke, Festus Ueitele, or Hipundjua could be reached for comment yesterday.Omaheke has become one of the ruling party’s political “hot spots” following a number of incidents which provoked question marks about Swapo’s unity in the region.Last year Swapo was forced to abandon its primary elections at Gobabis after rival party supporters traded punches during the acrimonious campaigns.The ruling party later slammed those primaries, which had pitted Omaheke Governor Laura McLeod against Ambrosius Kandjii, national co-ordinator of the Namibia Amateur Boxing Federation, as “a mistake”.When President Sam Nujoma fired former Foreign Affairs Minister Hidipo Hamutenya and his deputy Kaire Mbuende in the run up to the Swapo extra-ordinary congress in May he also cited the Omaheke primary elections as the reason.The group has apparently written a petition accusing Hipundjua of malpractice and favouritism in his dealing with the establishment of the youth league’s structures in the region.The Swapo office in Omaheke alleged sent the petition straight to SYL Secretary Paulus Kapia’s office without first giving the party regional executive committee a chance to deal with the matter.The petition prompted Kapia to dispatch a team of investigators to Omaheke, which has since finished its work and presented its report to SYL National Executive Committee on Wednesday.The final decision on the course of action to be taken against Hipundjua is expected to be made by the SYL Central Committee when it meets tomorrow.Kapia abruptly hung up the telephone when The Namibian contacted him to shed some more light on the issue.”Are you a Swapo member?” Kapia asked the reporter before he unceremoniously ended the conversation.Sources close to Kapia’s office indicate that Swapo’s Omaheke regional executive had demanded that the matter be referred back to them to deal with it at regional level.Neither Swapo Regional Co-ordinator for Omaheke, Festus Ueitele, or Hipundjua could be reached for comment yesterday.Omaheke has become one of the ruling party’s political “hot spots” following a number of incidents which provoked question marks about Swapo’s unity in the region.Last year Swapo was forced to abandon its primary elections at Gobabis after rival party supporters traded punches during the acrimonious campaigns.The ruling party later slammed those primaries, which had pitted Omaheke Governor Laura McLeod against Ambrosius Kandjii, national co-ordinator of the Namibia Amateur Boxing Federation, as “a mistake”.When President Sam Nujoma fired former Foreign Affairs Minister Hidipo Hamutenya and his deputy Kaire Mbuende in the run up to the Swapo extra-ordinary congress in May he also cited the Omaheke primary elections as the reason.