RDP convention faces legal threats

The Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP) has received letters from lawyers representing former executive members of its youth wing, demanding that new leaders of the wing must not be allowed to be delegates at this weekend’s elective party convention. The group claims that the outcome of the RDPYL’s recent elective convention held at Keetmanshoop was flawed and the result of a process that was conducted beyond the confines of the party constitution. The letter, addressed to RDP President Hidipo Hamutenya and Secretary-General Jesaya Nyamu on Wednesday, threatened to drag the party to court if the RDPYL’s new executive members are allowed to attend the party convention as delegates. The demands are being made by a group of supporters of Kandy Nehova, who is vying for the RDP presidency against Hamutenya and businessman Jeremiah Nambinga. But Nyamu was unfazed by the threats yesterday, saying the ousted RDPYL leaders are a disgruntled “permanent nuisance”. The group indicated in its letters that it wants to form part of the youth leadership attending this weekend’s RDP convention, which starts this evening, because they claim that their terms of office only end in March next year. The group lost their positions at the youth convention at Keetmanshoop in September, which they claim did not have a quorum to elect a new leadership. Nyamu yesterday said the party fully recognised the outcome of the youth convention, which saw Sibuku Malumbano being replaced by Monica Nambelela as the wing’s secretary-general. Many of the winners at the RDPYL convention are perceived to be supporters of Hamutenya. Nyamu said those who walked out of the Keetmanshoop convention in protest had automatically demoted themselves. “Those aggrieved youth are becoming a permanent nuisance,” he said. “The RDP is an independent party founded by its own laws, and as such we can amend or ban certain rules at our own discretion. “The letter doesn’t need to be up for discussion, because we have recognised the new leaders... Their lawyers are just out to make money from petty issues, as these laws they wish to hold us accountable on do not direct us because the RDP has a constitution,” Nyamu said. On September 28, some youth delegates led by Malumbano complained that party procedures were flouted to favour some candidates and disadvantage others. Yesterday Malumbano said: “Shortly after the fracas of the extraordinary convention, we had requested our seniors in the mother body to intervene and rectify the whole mess, but they haven’t done anything. “We are planning on legally blocking those voted into our positions not to participate in this weekend’s event because the RDP constitution recognises us until our terms come to an end in 2014,” Sibuku said. Of those who walked of the Keetmanshoop RDPYL convention, Steven Kevanhu and Marvin Vesevete were reinstated in their positions by the High Court on an interim basis. The two had been suspended days before the convention by Nyamu, who claimed they had sowed division amongst the youth. The confrontations at the RDPYL convention apparently were rooted in the politics of the RDP convention, where Hamutenya, Nehova and Nambinga are expected to lock horns over the party's presidency. The youth wing had also accused RDP secretary for international affairs Libolly Haufiku of allegedly amending a draft constitution that was adopted at the RDPYL convention. Vesevete blamed Haufiku for sowing division within the party’s national executive committee (NEC) in order to favour his camp. Haufiku denied the allegation. WINDHOEK FAITH SANKWASA