Swapo violates Covid-19 regulations

SWAPO has come under fire again for allegedly breaking state of emergency regulations prohibiting large gatherings.

This is after two Swapo districts held elective conferences to nominate aspiring candidates for regional and local authority elections.

The conferences were held at a time security forces had pounced on members of the public last week over the same transgression.

Members of the public were arrested and charged for attending social events and funerals in contravention of Covid-19 regulations.

On Friday, police officers in Omusati region arrested a bride for allegedly violating Covid-19 regulations because more than 10 people were allegedly found at her house.

Also on Saturday, the police at Keetmanshoop blocked Landless People’s Movement (LPM) members from entering the cemetery where the late LPM councillor Maxie Minnaar was buried. Two weeks ago, law enforcers ordered mourners at a memorial service of an employee of the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation, Rebbeca Elifas to adhere to the regulation requiring not more than 10 persons in accordance with the Covid-19 control measures.

According to those who attended, this happened when the pastor was about to start the sermon.

Members of the public view this as preferential treatment to Swapo, as the party keeps on convening meetings where more than 10 people attend but no arrests are made.

The party’s conferences were conducted at Moses //Garoëb and Samora Machel constituencies to choose candidates for the upcoming elections.

Sources said 44 party members attended the conference at Moses //Garoëb, and 28 attended the Samora Machel constituency meeting. also understands that of urban and rural develpment minister Erastus Uutoni and the party’s regional information secretary, Meriam Onesmus also attended the meeting at Moses Garoëb constituency.

Deputy minister of information and communication technology Emma Theofelus and the party’s coordinator for Khomas region Elliot Mbako reportedly attended the Samora Machel constituency meeting.

also understands the meetings were adjourned after 20h00, in violation of the curfew imposed on Khomas region.

President Hage Geingob imposed a 20h00-05h00 curfew, on 12 August, requiring all people in Khomas and Erongo to be in their homes during that time.

The regulation also states that during this period all public gatherings are prohibited, except where a gathering is for persons attending a funeral or meetings of a governmental institution at national, regional and local levels or the Cabinet or the parliament.

Samora Machel constituency information secretary Sylvia Kandanga-Shetekela who sent the invitation for the meeting denied that the meeting took place, despite other party leaders confirming having attended the meeting.

“I have no idea. We didn’t have a meeting. Where did you get the information from? I did not send the invitation, bye,” she said.

The party district coordinator Nestor Kalola, however, confirmed the meeting, but denied that it was in contravention of the Covid-19 regulation as the people were allegedly divided into groups of 10 and they also adhered to social distancing.

At Moses //Garoëb constituency, Eliazer Shipanga and Stephanus Ndengu contested for the regional councillor’s candidacy. Ndengu scooped 27 votes to beat Shipanga who got 16 votes.

For local authority council candidates, Tobias Ismael garnered 22 votes while Titus Nakwafila got 20 votes, Fillemon Shigwedha scooped 27 votes, while Gabriel Namagumbo and Mathias Mutumbulwa got 10 and six votes, respectively.

Swapo secretary general Sophia Shaningwa was not reachable for comment, while Mbako told yesterday that the conferences were not in contravention with the law and that people who are complaining are those that were not nominated.

“They are coming to the newspapers because they lost. Why did they not lodge those complaints before the conference? Police came at Windhoek West district but we explained to them how we were doing the nominations and they went.

“People were divided into groups of seven. We conducted our meetings according to the regulations. ECN is forcing us to submit the names of the candidates,” he said.

Contacted for comment, police inspector general Sebastian Ndeitunga said the police should be kept out of politics, as the organisation is responsible to enforce the law.

“Nobody reported those gatherings to the police. Please tell those people to keep politics away from the police. They want to draw police in their frustration and political squabbles. We are here to protect everybody,” he said. Khomas regional commander deputy commissioner Joseph Shikongo also said that he was not aware of Swapo meetings.

He urged members of the public to tell the police of meetings held in contravention of the regulations.

However, this is not the first time Swapo is accused of violating Covid-19 related regulations.

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