Swartbooi recalled

SWAPO party secretary general Nangolo Mbumba has announced that the party had resolved to recall former deputy land reform minister Bernadus Swartbooi from parliament.

In a statement issued yesterday, he said the reasons for removing Swartbooi from parliament were self-evident.

Mbumba made reference to Swartbooi’s comments and general attitude expressed in the public towards the party, “its functionaries and government on diverse occasions”.

Swartbooi last weekend said the party was only taking care of the interests of one ethnic group, and that people from the north had no right to lecture other people about ancestral land rights.

Swartbooi was also quoted as saying that he was 99,9% not a Swapo member, and that he was going to resign in 30 seconds if and when the party had withdrawn his membership of the National Assembly.

“The politburo has duly resolved to withdraw Bernadus Swartbooi from the National Assembly as its member who represents it from the party list with immediate effect,” said Mbumba.

Mbumba added that a letter had been delivered to the Speaker of the National Assembly, Peter Katjavivi, notifying him that Swartbooi had been withdrawn from representing the party.

“The party has the right to decide who represents it in the National Assembly, and this time the decision has been taken to remove him.”

He, however, said Swartbooi was not expelled from the party, but only removed from representing the party in parliament, adding that a replacement would soon be made public.

“It is up to him to decide whether he remains a party member or not,” said Mbumba.

There were allegations that some politburo members had deliberately not been invited to the meeting which resolved to recall Swartbooi on Monday.

Mbumba, however, said he does not deal with the invitation of members to politburo meetings, and that the decision to remove Swartbooi was taken by the majority of politburo members who attended the meeting. Former member of parliament Kazenambo Kazenambo yesterday told The Namibian that he was not aware of the politburo meeting on Monday because he was not informed about it.

“I am a member of the politburo, but I am not aware of the meeting. I usually get invites for such meetings, but I was not informed about it,” he stated.

Kazenambo stressed that he condemned the meeting, and distanced himself from any resolution taken by the meeting, terming it illegal.

“I distance myself from such illegal meetings that are targeting individuals, and I condemn it. I condemn it,” he said.

Swapo secretary for information Helmut Angula also said he was not part of the secret meeting which resolved to remove Swartbooi from parliament as “it was called on short notice”.

Kazenambo said the politburo has no power to recall anyone from a position, and that any decision taken on Monday will be null and void because due process was not followed.

“The politburo has no right or power to recall someone from the National Assembly. Unless they get the endorsement of the central committee, the decision will not be effective,” he explained.

He added that a disciplinary hearing was first supposed to have been held, and that a decision to remove Swartbooi was supposed to be taken by the party’s central committee.

Kazenambo then questioned whether the party will also remove Omusati governor Erginus Endjala from his position after an audio of him making tribal remarks and revealing information about other party members was made public.

“I am still waiting for the minutes of that secret meeting to find out whether there was anything else on the agenda other than Swartbooi. Did they also discuss Endjala, and what did they resolve regarding his comments?” asked Kazenambo.

Mbumba, however, said the party has all the time to deal with Endjala and others who would make similar mistakes, confirming that Monday’s meeting did not discuss those comments.

“The governor has no right to misbehave. The party will follow the necessary procedures to deal with those making similar mistakes,” he said.

Katjavivi yesterday confirmed receiving the notification from Mbumba about Swartbooi’s withdrawal from parliament, but said he was yet to be informed about the person replacing him.

“The party is yet to recommend who the possible replacement will be, and an announcement will be made after that,” he noted.

Swartbooi yesterday called a press conference moments after Mbumba announced his removal from the National Assembly.

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