Swapo rift deepensat Grootfontein
Shaningwa’s task team accused of overstepping mandate
A group of Grootfontein Swapo leaders has accused a task team linked to the party leadership of unconstitutional conduct and sowing division ahead of party structure elections.
About 22 of these leaders wrote a letter to president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, complaining about the conduct of the task team appointed by secretary general Sophia Shaningwa to oversee the election of sections, branches and an extraordinary district conference.
Their petition came five days after the task team was allegedly deployed from Shaningwa’s office on 15 April.
This comes at a time that speculation is rife that the deployment is linked to Swapo’s 2027 congress.
The 22 leaders claim the task force is overstepping its mandate and that it operates outside the boundaries of the party’s constitution.
“We will not shy away from the truth and the reality, but this task team came to sow disunity among Swapo members within our district by turning legislative documents of the party above their own interest, only known to them,” they said in the letter.
Nandi-Ndaitwah, Shaningwa and the chairperson of the Swapo leaders assigned to the Otjozondjupa region, Pohamba Shifeta, were also copied in on the letter.
The team was sent to conduct branch elections in preparation of electing a councillor candidate for the Grootfontein elections.
The task team consisted, among others, of former Windhoek deputy mayor Ian Subasubani and Shaningwa’s aide, Taddeus Shithigona.
Neither Subasubani nor Shithigona could be reached for comment yesterday.
Other members allegedly included three retired army and police members.
The district executive committee members claim in their petition that their voices were “silenced and ignored” during the meeting with the task force.
They claim some of the task force members would openly tell them they were not appointed by the district and would never consider any concerns raised by the district executive committee members.
‘CHAOS’
They also accused the task team of causing chaos in the district as they reportedly revived some sections that became dormant between five and 10 years ago.
On 21 April, Grootfontein district coordinator James Shipunda allegedly notified the district executive members via a WhatsApp message that the task team wanted to meet with them at 18h00 that afternoon, and the extraordinary district conference would be convened at a hotel situated 10km outside Grootfontein thereafter.
“Unfortunately, this communication was not well received as it was on short notice, and with the Peace Garden, almost 10km outside Grootfontein, transport is a challenge,” they said.
Shipunda said he was told they were not in any position to meet with the task team.
Swapo’s candidate for the Grootfontein by-election, Nelao Amagulu, was elected at this gathering.
‘MATTER RESOLVED’
Shipunda yesterday told The Namibian the matter has already been resolved, but declined to say whether due process was followed.
“Ask those who gave you the story,” he said.
The Namibian understands Nandi-Ndaitwah summoned members of the Grootfontein Swapo executive committee to State House after the letter written to her alleged “unconstitutional and disorderly conduct” by the special task team.
They appeared before the party’s politburo meeting on 28 April in the evening.
The meeting was only adjourned at 04h00 the next day.
It continued on 29 April with Nandi-Ndaitwah and Swapo administrator France Kaundinge, who took the minutes of the meeting.
Otjozondjupa coordinator Imms Namaseb did not answer calls to his cellphone yesterday, but on Sunday said if the party campaigned well at Grootfontein, it could win back the constituency.
‘WHY NOW’
Shaningwa yesterday asked why the people of Grootfontein were only complaining now after the candidates have already been registered.
“Where did they get those kinds of behaviours?” she asked.
Some Swapo members at Grootfontein said the party may not win the by-election scheduled for 17 June, as they are not happy with the way the candidate was elected.
Details about the Grootfontein saga adds to ongoing speculation about Swapo’s succession politics.
Shaningwa, who currently has administrative influence over who is elected, has been linked to the vice presidency of the party in the 2027 party elective congress.
The Namibian last week reported that Shaningwa and Nandi-Ndaitwah appear to be clashing.
Namibian Sun has over the past few weeks reported that Shaningwa has failed to attend key national events.
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