SPYL moots nullifying regional results

Tempers are expected to flare tonight when the Swapo Party Youth League’s National Executive Committee (NEC) converges to, among others, decide whether or not to nullify the recent outcomes of the regional conferences held in Oshana and Oshikoto regions.

At such conferences, new leaders of these regions and delegates to the SPYL’s congress in August were elected.

High on the agenda of tonight’s meeting are motions to declare the outcomes of both regions null and void, due to the alleged irregularities.

The allegations are now threatening to add more friction to the already fragile build-up to the August congress where new leaders, including the wing’s secretary would be elected.

Both regions are accused of failing to observe the SPYL constitution during processes of electing their leaders and members of the regional central committees.

The complainants in both regions say the outcomes were tailor-made to influence the agenda and results of the Swapo elective congress slated for November.

Oshikoto is already reeling from the embarrassment it suffered after the Swapo politburo declared its party regional conference null and void due to alleged irregularities. Now the same verdict is threatening its SPYL regional conference held in April.

Oshana Region held its regional conference last month amidst cries of foul that saw delegates from the Okatana District stage a walkout.

“We walked out because our questions about what we saw as irregularities were ignored,” said Sindano Hango, a delegate from Okatana.

Hango claims that although Oshana has 10 districts, all delegates to the SPYL congress were drawn from one district and were all females.

They claimed that names of some contenders were unilaterally thrown away while some delegates were allowed to contest for positions without meeting minimum requirements.

They also claim that some newcomers to the party stole the show from under the nose of those that have been loyal card-carrying members of the ruling party for ages.

The SPYL constitution stipulates that one needs to have been a fully paid-up member of the ruling party for not less than five years before such person can be considered to serve in the leadership.

The SPYL has appointed its central committee member, Alec Boois, to chair a vetting committee to which all nominated names are submitted for scrutiny.

When Oshikoto held its SPYL regional conference, it allegedly failed to submit the names of its candidates to the committee for vetting.

Oshana also emulated Oshikoto in this regard, but reasoned that a directive from the SPYL headquarters to submit names came too late. The region attributes its non-compliance to technicalities than anything else.

Now the chickens have come home to roost in both regions and NEC is expected to give a decisive verdict at its meeting today.

Boois yesterday refused to deny or confirm whether his committee has received names from either regions for vetting.

“With all due respect, I cannot discuss internal youth league matters in public,” he said.
Swapo Youth league Secretary, Dr Elijah Ngurare was equally reluctant to shed light on the agenda of tonight’s meeting, but confirmed that complaints from both regions were received.

“I am chairman of NEC and therefore cannot discuss matters of meetings that I’ll preside over,” is all Ngurare was prepared to say.