Can radical LPM tame militant Amushelelo?
• LPM’s flexibility to be tested
Political observers say the marriage between the orange party and the militant activist will only last if they find common ideological ground.
Analysts believe that Michael Amushelelo joining the Landless People’s Movement (LPM) will be a critical test of patience for the party. His radical posture could see him thrive within LPM, but fear persists that he may clash with no-nonsense party leader Bernadus Swartbooi, who is known for pulling no punches.
Observers have pointed to existing ideological disparities between Amushelelo, a radical socialist with a militant approach, and LPM's stance on certain thorny issues such as homosexuality - which the activist is opposed to, while the party believes no one should be discriminated against on the basis of their sexuality.
Amushelelo, who in his unorthodox fashion called voters “stupid citizens who vote thieves into power”, is sure to usher in an entirely new dynamic to the party.
Just this week, he threw his weight behind a protest against the appointment of an Oshiwambo-speaking principal at Minna Sachs Primary School in Keetmanshoop, but previously, he berated citizens by saying: “I've found that in fighting for black people, your toughest opponent is black people”.
Personality clashes
Political analyst Ndumba Kamwanyah highlighted that Amushelelo's socialist beliefs, focusing on aggressive activism for wealth redistribution and land, resonate with many disenfranchised Namibians.
However, although this is the root from which the LPM has sprung, the party has since matured and moved towards diplomatic advocacy.
“Balancing these perspectives will be crucial for the party, which has evolved to maintain unity and coherence. LPM has evolved from being radical, which was similar to the approach of Amushelelo. But this could also be an opportunity for LPM to define itself as a national party, shedding the ‘Nama party’ tag, having a very strong non-Nama party member,” he said.
He added that to compound these differences in strategy, Amushelelo and Swartbooi’s strong personalities could lead to internal friction if not addressed urgently.
“The party will have to do something to determine Amushelelo’s role in the party based on his approach. The reality is if the party policy is strong, then it is not about the individual, but about the collective. What is important, though, is whether they would allow him to have his own opinions as an individual party member. The other question is: Will he be able to toe the line? One would hope that LPM does not constrain him from expressing his views and how he does things,” he said.
Ideological alignment
Political commentator Marius Kudumo pointed out that, at the end of the day, the individual will have to align with the party structures and policies. He also highlighted that Amushelelo’s entrance into LPM brings the importance of ideological alignment into sharp focus.
“One problem is identity politics and a party’s identity is often around its leader and an individual. This will push for a shift from a leadership that is about an individual and could spark internal conflict. As you know, the main problem within our political parties is internal conflict and not about ideological difference, but rather about self-interest,” he said.
Another analyst, Johan Coetzee, believes the union will be short-lived as he is not convinced Swartbooi will allow Amushelelo to steal his shine.
“Given their similar left-wing approaches, Amushelelo should fit in perfectly, but the question is, will it fit for the long-term? His presence will be a test for LPM’s flexibility. It is quite possible that he will work well with LPM; he is close to the people, popular amongst the youth, and he makes things happen. The question is to what extent will the party accommodate his approach? I don’t think Swartbooi will allow his own shine to be taken away. They are in the same league, but at the end of the day, it is his [Swartbooi's] party, his breakaway,” he said.
Political analyst Rakkel Andreas also pointed out that it is unclear at this point where Amushelelo fits in with his strongman persona.
She, too, believes that LPM is perfect for him, and would allow him to continue his activism.
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Observers have pointed to existing ideological disparities between Amushelelo, a radical socialist with a militant approach, and LPM's stance on certain thorny issues such as homosexuality - which the activist is opposed to, while the party believes no one should be discriminated against on the basis of their sexuality.
Amushelelo, who in his unorthodox fashion called voters “stupid citizens who vote thieves into power”, is sure to usher in an entirely new dynamic to the party.
Just this week, he threw his weight behind a protest against the appointment of an Oshiwambo-speaking principal at Minna Sachs Primary School in Keetmanshoop, but previously, he berated citizens by saying: “I've found that in fighting for black people, your toughest opponent is black people”.
Personality clashes
Political analyst Ndumba Kamwanyah highlighted that Amushelelo's socialist beliefs, focusing on aggressive activism for wealth redistribution and land, resonate with many disenfranchised Namibians.
However, although this is the root from which the LPM has sprung, the party has since matured and moved towards diplomatic advocacy.
“Balancing these perspectives will be crucial for the party, which has evolved to maintain unity and coherence. LPM has evolved from being radical, which was similar to the approach of Amushelelo. But this could also be an opportunity for LPM to define itself as a national party, shedding the ‘Nama party’ tag, having a very strong non-Nama party member,” he said.
He added that to compound these differences in strategy, Amushelelo and Swartbooi’s strong personalities could lead to internal friction if not addressed urgently.
“The party will have to do something to determine Amushelelo’s role in the party based on his approach. The reality is if the party policy is strong, then it is not about the individual, but about the collective. What is important, though, is whether they would allow him to have his own opinions as an individual party member. The other question is: Will he be able to toe the line? One would hope that LPM does not constrain him from expressing his views and how he does things,” he said.
Ideological alignment
Political commentator Marius Kudumo pointed out that, at the end of the day, the individual will have to align with the party structures and policies. He also highlighted that Amushelelo’s entrance into LPM brings the importance of ideological alignment into sharp focus.
“One problem is identity politics and a party’s identity is often around its leader and an individual. This will push for a shift from a leadership that is about an individual and could spark internal conflict. As you know, the main problem within our political parties is internal conflict and not about ideological difference, but rather about self-interest,” he said.
Another analyst, Johan Coetzee, believes the union will be short-lived as he is not convinced Swartbooi will allow Amushelelo to steal his shine.
“Given their similar left-wing approaches, Amushelelo should fit in perfectly, but the question is, will it fit for the long-term? His presence will be a test for LPM’s flexibility. It is quite possible that he will work well with LPM; he is close to the people, popular amongst the youth, and he makes things happen. The question is to what extent will the party accommodate his approach? I don’t think Swartbooi will allow his own shine to be taken away. They are in the same league, but at the end of the day, it is his [Swartbooi's] party, his breakaway,” he said.
Political analyst Rakkel Andreas also pointed out that it is unclear at this point where Amushelelo fits in with his strongman persona.
She, too, believes that LPM is perfect for him, and would allow him to continue his activism.
[email protected]
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