Swapo youth feel hard done by

SWAPO’S younger members have called on the party cadres in top positions to give them jobs and tenders as part of youth empowerment.

Swapo Youth League Secretary Elijah Ngurare said yesterday the recent Congress was not happy with the progress made in empowering the youth league to enhance its footprint in the country’s economy. He said the new youth leaders were told to proactively seek out and engage in business opportunities in various sectors of the economy.”The present scenario leaves a lot to be desired,” Ngurare said.The congress called on “Swapo cadres in positions of authority to ensure that SPYL enterprises are supported and guided appropriately” for the advancement of the party and the youth league.Five years ago the Youth League, under former leader Paulus Kapia, went on a campaign for the deployment of people loyal to the ruling party in key Government and parastatal positions.It claimed that loyal Swapo members had endured the hardships of the struggle both in and outside the country through being thrown into the sea, castrated for their beliefs and commitment to the struggle, their limbs amputated and by languishing in jails for long periods of time.Although the Youth League drew flak from some quarters, the recommendation was formally accepted by the party and a timetable was presented to influence Government to put loyalists in strategic Government positions.Since then, many Swapo cadres have taken up top positions in Government and parastatals.However, they have disappointed the Youth League by not keeping their end of the deal.”Don’t be afraid.Don’t be fearful to assist your constituency.It is not about slogans alone.It is a bread-and-butter issue and our members were the ones who voted.We need that assistance,” was Ngurare’s message to the Swapo cadres yesterday.Yet, not all of the Youth League’s previous ventures into business have gone well – Kapia’s involvement in the SSC-Avid investment scandal being one of the low points.Kapia claimed he went into the now infamous Avid deal with the hope of making money for the Swapo Youth League but was booted from his Deputy Works Minister position after it became apparent that he had allegedly pocketed some funds for own gain.Ngurare said the congress decided that the Youth League’s commercial interests be redefined, refocused and co-ordinated and that periodical reports be tabled to the National Executive Committee.He said the new youth leaders were told to proactively seek out and engage in business opportunities in various sectors of the economy.”The present scenario leaves a lot to be desired,” Ngurare said.The congress called on “Swapo cadres in positions of authority to ensure that SPYL enterprises are supported and guided appropriately” for the advancement of the party and the youth league. Five years ago the Youth League, under former leader Paulus Kapia, went on a campaign for the deployment of people loyal to the ruling party in key Government and parastatal positions.It claimed that loyal Swapo members had endured the hardships of the struggle both in and outside the country through being thrown into the sea, castrated for their beliefs and commitment to the struggle, their limbs amputated and by languishing in jails for long periods of time.Although the Youth League drew flak from some quarters, the recommendation was formally accepted by the party and a timetable was presented to influence Government to put loyalists in strategic Government positions.Since then, many Swapo cadres have taken up top positions in Government and parastatals.However, they have disappointed the Youth League by not keeping their end of the deal.”Don’t be afraid.Don’t be fearful to assist your constituency.It is not about slogans alone.It is a bread-and-butter issue and our members were the ones who voted.We need that assistance,” was Ngurare’s message to the Swapo cadres yesterday.Yet, not all of the Youth League’s previous ventures into business have gone well – Kapia’s involvement in the SSC-Avid investment scandal being one of the low points.Kapia claimed he went into the now infamous Avid deal with the hope of making money for the Swapo Youth League but was booted from his Deputy Works Minister position after it became apparent that he had allegedly pocketed some funds for own gain.Ngurare said the congress decided that the Youth League’s commercial interests be redefined, refocused and co-ordinated and that periodical reports be tabled to the National Executive Committee.