Ketu: Itula threatened to block my number
Okalongo businessman returns to Swapo
IPC says those who are not ready for change will leave, but the party will march on.
Prominent Okalongo businessman Josua ‘Ketu 2000’ Mwetupunga rejoined Swapo yesterday, defecting from the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) after accusing IPC leader Dr Panduleni Itula of threatening to block his number if he continued raising concerns about the party’s alleged dictatorial tendencies and lack of accountability.
Mwetupunga, who says he is a co-founder of the IPC, was the party's Okalongo constituency candidate in the 2020 regional council election, but failed to secure a place on the party’s parliamentary list in September.
In his resignation letter, Mwetupunga listed seven reasons for leaving IPC, including an alleged lack of transparency in which the party’s electoral convention to choose parliamentary candidates was handled.
Mwetupunga failed to make the IPC's 96-candidate list, describing this as the final nail in the coffin that led to his decision to quit the party.
‘Dictator’ claims
He also said a recent phone call with Itula, during which the latter allegedly threatened to block his number if he continued to attempt to advise the leadership, made him reflect on his options.
“I am a founding member of the IPC, just like Itula. I was among those who went to go and collect signatures for the party to be registered with the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN),” he told Namibian Sun.
“I can say without fear of favour that Itula is a dictator. How can you be an opposition party leader and you do not take advice from us who are on the ground with the people?”
Mwetupunga added: “I am a businessman who sacrificed my resources for the better of the people and, on top of that, I played a role in the liberation struggle of this country and yet he can tell me over the phone that if I do not stop giving advice to the leadership, I must not call him or send voice notes to him, or else he will block my number. What kind of leader does that?”
He also pointed out that he was nominated at the constituency level and at the regional level to represent the party.
"But when we went to the national electoral convention in Windhoek, we were forced to vote for people from other regions only. Tell me, does it make sense for one to vote for a person whose capabilities you don’t know?
“If that’s not all, we don’t know how many votes those who appeared on the list got. It is not fair and that is why, together with my wife, we decided to return to Swapo.”
Internal strife
When asked if he was bitter about not securing a favourable position on the IPC's parliamentary list, Mwetupunga said he did not join the party for positions but to drive change for the betterment of the Namibian people.
In his resignation letter, he also cited the alleged lack of a collective approach to decision-making within the leadership of his former party.
Moreover, he claimed that gossiping is prevalent within IPC, spanning from the regional to the national level.
Mwetupunga called on those he had recruited to join IPC to also dump the party and rejoin Swapo.
Democratic country
When contacted for comment, IPC spokesperson Immanuel Nashinge confirmed receiving Mwetupunga’s resignation letter but hit back at Itula’s alleged dictorial leadership style.
“He is not the first to make the dictatorship claims; those claims have been there. He is not the first to leave and won’t be the last. We are moving forward with those who want to liberate Namibia. We will meet him and his new friends on the 27th,” Nashinge said.
Nashinge said people had joined IPC voluntarily, and if they choose to leave, it is their democratic right to do so.
“You came, and if you want to go, that is your democratic right. Those who are not ready for change will go. We are focusing on the main business of 27 November when we go for the national elections.”
#NamibiaDecides2024
Mwetupunga, who says he is a co-founder of the IPC, was the party's Okalongo constituency candidate in the 2020 regional council election, but failed to secure a place on the party’s parliamentary list in September.
In his resignation letter, Mwetupunga listed seven reasons for leaving IPC, including an alleged lack of transparency in which the party’s electoral convention to choose parliamentary candidates was handled.
Mwetupunga failed to make the IPC's 96-candidate list, describing this as the final nail in the coffin that led to his decision to quit the party.
‘Dictator’ claims
He also said a recent phone call with Itula, during which the latter allegedly threatened to block his number if he continued to attempt to advise the leadership, made him reflect on his options.
“I am a founding member of the IPC, just like Itula. I was among those who went to go and collect signatures for the party to be registered with the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN),” he told Namibian Sun.
“I can say without fear of favour that Itula is a dictator. How can you be an opposition party leader and you do not take advice from us who are on the ground with the people?”
Mwetupunga added: “I am a businessman who sacrificed my resources for the better of the people and, on top of that, I played a role in the liberation struggle of this country and yet he can tell me over the phone that if I do not stop giving advice to the leadership, I must not call him or send voice notes to him, or else he will block my number. What kind of leader does that?”
He also pointed out that he was nominated at the constituency level and at the regional level to represent the party.
"But when we went to the national electoral convention in Windhoek, we were forced to vote for people from other regions only. Tell me, does it make sense for one to vote for a person whose capabilities you don’t know?
“If that’s not all, we don’t know how many votes those who appeared on the list got. It is not fair and that is why, together with my wife, we decided to return to Swapo.”
Internal strife
When asked if he was bitter about not securing a favourable position on the IPC's parliamentary list, Mwetupunga said he did not join the party for positions but to drive change for the betterment of the Namibian people.
In his resignation letter, he also cited the alleged lack of a collective approach to decision-making within the leadership of his former party.
Moreover, he claimed that gossiping is prevalent within IPC, spanning from the regional to the national level.
Mwetupunga called on those he had recruited to join IPC to also dump the party and rejoin Swapo.
Democratic country
When contacted for comment, IPC spokesperson Immanuel Nashinge confirmed receiving Mwetupunga’s resignation letter but hit back at Itula’s alleged dictorial leadership style.
“He is not the first to make the dictatorship claims; those claims have been there. He is not the first to leave and won’t be the last. We are moving forward with those who want to liberate Namibia. We will meet him and his new friends on the 27th,” Nashinge said.
Nashinge said people had joined IPC voluntarily, and if they choose to leave, it is their democratic right to do so.
“You came, and if you want to go, that is your democratic right. Those who are not ready for change will go. We are focusing on the main business of 27 November when we go for the national elections.”
#NamibiaDecides2024
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