‘Divided’ Nudo to finalise parliamentary list
The National Unity Democratic Organisation’s (Nudo) factional battles have thrust the party into uncharted waters as it prepares to host its electoral college this weekend in the capital, albeit in a very divided state.
Party insiders have cautioned that despite the fights having seemingly cooled down in recent weeks, this weekend’s indaba will provide an indication as to whether the Barry Rukoro-led faction - which wants to wrestle power from the Esther Muinjangue-led grouping - has backed down in its quest to lead the party.
But Nudo is not only facing an internal crisis. While the party is preoccupied with getting its house in order, its competitors during next month's general elections are in full campaign mode, and it has yet to even kick-start its programme. The party will also be among the last to launch its manifesto.
Despite Nudo now having to play catch up with its political peers, secretary-general Josef Kauandenge is confident that the party will garner enough votes to return to parliament next year. In fact, he believes Nudo has cemented itself in its stronghold areas such as Aminuis, Okakarara and Otjinene, hence there is no reason to panic.
“We have loyalists who will always vote for the party, regardless who the leadership is,” he boasted while appearing on the Evening Review show last night.
Power struggles
Nudo has also been gripped by debilitating power struggles, a consequence partly due to fights within the Ovaherero Traditional Authority (OTA) and outright sabotage by senior party officials for factional political purposes.
Its youth league recently called on decision-makers in the party to amend the constitution to address the over-involvement of the OTA chiefs in party structures. Youth leader Veparura Kandirikirira feels the lines between politics and traditional matters in party ranks are too intertwined.
In a recent interview on Evening Review, he said the current constitution is stuck in the past and should be tackled to relegate the involvement of traditional chiefs to advisory and mediation roles instead of automatically serving in executive positions.
He added that the 215 delegates at this weekend’s indaba “must come with a spirit of comradeship”.
Peace pipe
Kauandenge said the incumbent Muinjangue-led leadership is open to smoking the peace pipe with its adversaries, led by Rukoro, and is willing to devise a lasting solution as the party gears up for an “intense campaign period”.
To demonstrate this, he said the current leadership has invited about 25 party members who are aligned to the Rukoro faction to attend this weekend’s proceedings. “We extended an invitation to all eligible party members. It is our hope that all of them will attend the electoral college, but if they don’t, then there is nothing more we can do,” he said.
Rukoro’s faction has repeatedly called on Muinjangue and her faction to step aside because their term has ended. The former Namibia Football Association honcho - who has now morphed into a politician - wants to take over the reins of the party. His faction not so long ago held its own congress where he was elected as Nudo president.
The woes facing one of the country’s oldest political movements, which celebrated its 60th anniversary last month, led to Nudo failing to hold its elective congress in July.
Party insiders have cautioned that despite the fights having seemingly cooled down in recent weeks, this weekend’s indaba will provide an indication as to whether the Barry Rukoro-led faction - which wants to wrestle power from the Esther Muinjangue-led grouping - has backed down in its quest to lead the party.
But Nudo is not only facing an internal crisis. While the party is preoccupied with getting its house in order, its competitors during next month's general elections are in full campaign mode, and it has yet to even kick-start its programme. The party will also be among the last to launch its manifesto.
Despite Nudo now having to play catch up with its political peers, secretary-general Josef Kauandenge is confident that the party will garner enough votes to return to parliament next year. In fact, he believes Nudo has cemented itself in its stronghold areas such as Aminuis, Okakarara and Otjinene, hence there is no reason to panic.
“We have loyalists who will always vote for the party, regardless who the leadership is,” he boasted while appearing on the Evening Review show last night.
Power struggles
Nudo has also been gripped by debilitating power struggles, a consequence partly due to fights within the Ovaherero Traditional Authority (OTA) and outright sabotage by senior party officials for factional political purposes.
Its youth league recently called on decision-makers in the party to amend the constitution to address the over-involvement of the OTA chiefs in party structures. Youth leader Veparura Kandirikirira feels the lines between politics and traditional matters in party ranks are too intertwined.
In a recent interview on Evening Review, he said the current constitution is stuck in the past and should be tackled to relegate the involvement of traditional chiefs to advisory and mediation roles instead of automatically serving in executive positions.
He added that the 215 delegates at this weekend’s indaba “must come with a spirit of comradeship”.
Peace pipe
Kauandenge said the incumbent Muinjangue-led leadership is open to smoking the peace pipe with its adversaries, led by Rukoro, and is willing to devise a lasting solution as the party gears up for an “intense campaign period”.
To demonstrate this, he said the current leadership has invited about 25 party members who are aligned to the Rukoro faction to attend this weekend’s proceedings. “We extended an invitation to all eligible party members. It is our hope that all of them will attend the electoral college, but if they don’t, then there is nothing more we can do,” he said.
Rukoro’s faction has repeatedly called on Muinjangue and her faction to step aside because their term has ended. The former Namibia Football Association honcho - who has now morphed into a politician - wants to take over the reins of the party. His faction not so long ago held its own congress where he was elected as Nudo president.
The woes facing one of the country’s oldest political movements, which celebrated its 60th anniversary last month, led to Nudo failing to hold its elective congress in July.
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