EDITORIAL: Swapo’s all-Wambo nominations worrisome

Whether by design or default, the lack of ethnic diversity – not necessarily balance – in the race for Swapo vice-president and secretary-general is a cause for concern.

In fact, for vice-president, even before the elimination stage at the central committee meeting last weekend, all six candidates were from one ethnic group. That’s rich coming from a supposed national movement.

True, some would argue that the party presidential position is occupied by a non-Omuwambo incumbent and that all candidates for the other position that completes the so-called ‘top four’ - that of deputy secretary-general - are non-Aawambo.

But, as they like saying in development policy, context matters.

The Swapo presidency going into this congress is a lame job, while that of deputy secretary-general is for all intents and purposes a side hustle. It’s like enrolling for evening ballet classes to help you get over an ex.

The VP position is a two-step ladder to State House, so that is where the juice is. The secretary-general position means being CEO of a mass movement that controls both national policy and the economy. It’s the administrative heartbeat of Swapo.

Thus, to ring-fence the two most important positions and somewhat ‘reserve’ them for one tribe is problematic.

This may have happened by default, and we are not calling for tribal rotation or rationing. But Swapo may want to revert to its controversial ‘guided democracy’ regime and be deliberate in filling positions.