Nekundi wants NEFF deregistered for rewarding Mix slap
Swapo politburo member Veikko Nekundi has called for the deregistration of the Namibia Economic Freedom Fighters (NEFF), saying the opposition party’s N$1 000 cash reward to a man who slapped a Swapo district leader in April at Mix settlement violated the Electoral Act.
Mix resident Moses Ndjene slapped Swapo branch coordinator Bonifatius Munango during the ruling party’s mini rally at the impoverished settlement. This, after Ndjene allegedly challenged senior Swapo leaders in attendance on the party’s perpetual empty promises before being ordered to leave – a situation that quickly escalated into Ndjene slapping Munango.
NEFF commissar Michael Amushelelo visited Ndjene at Mix and handed him N$1 000 for the act, as a reward “for slapping corruption in the face”.
Nekundi, speaking on The Evening Review last week, condemned NEFF's approach, saying it was an unlawful vote-canvassing tactic that could incite a political uprising. He said opposition parties in the country are not being held to the same standards as Swapo, which is selective.
“That political party should have been deregistered if the Electoral Commission of Namibia [ECN] was serious. Their [NEFF’s] conduct is prevented in the Electoral Act. What was done at Mix settlement is a direct violation of an article dealing with the deregistration of political parties in the Namibian Constitution,” he said.
Do more
Nekundi also expressed disappointment in political analysts, whom he said had only nibbled at the matter without urging ECN to act against NEFF.
“I expected them to do more. The Electoral Act does not allow this.”
Nekundi faced accusations of hate speech due to remarks he made in the Oshana Region a week ago about burying political opponents.
He said unlike his remarks about ‘democratic graves’ - which he stands by unapologetically as part of his campaign for Swapo - the physical beating of somebody else is uncalled for.
“That was an undemocratic beating. NEFF putting people they are campaigning for on a pedestal with the literal intention to harm others cannot be tolerated. Advocating and calling upon your supporters to physically hurt others is wrong,” he said.
Meant no harm
He emphasised that his message to the Swapo members in Emono village in Oshana was to ensure that the Popular Democratic Movement (PDM), Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) and all their associates are “democratically buried at the polling booth using a pencil”.
“What I said had no iota of violent interpretation, as the 'graves' I mentioned are [metaphorical], referring to the outcome of the poll votes in November. It is a political miscarriage for people to think I am [campaigning] to undermine the principle of democracy,” Nekundi said.
The Swapo politburo member urged Namibians to campaign aggressively, but democratically. He added that the country can only thrive if it adheres to the principles of democracy in its governance.
“We must go out there and be robust and unapologetic about our goals. We, of course, cannot campaign with the fear of hurting one another. We must democratically hurt each other. That’s the game and space we are in,” he noted.
Mix resident Moses Ndjene slapped Swapo branch coordinator Bonifatius Munango during the ruling party’s mini rally at the impoverished settlement. This, after Ndjene allegedly challenged senior Swapo leaders in attendance on the party’s perpetual empty promises before being ordered to leave – a situation that quickly escalated into Ndjene slapping Munango.
NEFF commissar Michael Amushelelo visited Ndjene at Mix and handed him N$1 000 for the act, as a reward “for slapping corruption in the face”.
Nekundi, speaking on The Evening Review last week, condemned NEFF's approach, saying it was an unlawful vote-canvassing tactic that could incite a political uprising. He said opposition parties in the country are not being held to the same standards as Swapo, which is selective.
“That political party should have been deregistered if the Electoral Commission of Namibia [ECN] was serious. Their [NEFF’s] conduct is prevented in the Electoral Act. What was done at Mix settlement is a direct violation of an article dealing with the deregistration of political parties in the Namibian Constitution,” he said.
Do more
Nekundi also expressed disappointment in political analysts, whom he said had only nibbled at the matter without urging ECN to act against NEFF.
“I expected them to do more. The Electoral Act does not allow this.”
Nekundi faced accusations of hate speech due to remarks he made in the Oshana Region a week ago about burying political opponents.
He said unlike his remarks about ‘democratic graves’ - which he stands by unapologetically as part of his campaign for Swapo - the physical beating of somebody else is uncalled for.
“That was an undemocratic beating. NEFF putting people they are campaigning for on a pedestal with the literal intention to harm others cannot be tolerated. Advocating and calling upon your supporters to physically hurt others is wrong,” he said.
Meant no harm
He emphasised that his message to the Swapo members in Emono village in Oshana was to ensure that the Popular Democratic Movement (PDM), Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) and all their associates are “democratically buried at the polling booth using a pencil”.
“What I said had no iota of violent interpretation, as the 'graves' I mentioned are [metaphorical], referring to the outcome of the poll votes in November. It is a political miscarriage for people to think I am [campaigning] to undermine the principle of democracy,” Nekundi said.
The Swapo politburo member urged Namibians to campaign aggressively, but democratically. He added that the country can only thrive if it adheres to the principles of democracy in its governance.
“We must go out there and be robust and unapologetic about our goals. We, of course, cannot campaign with the fear of hurting one another. We must democratically hurt each other. That’s the game and space we are in,” he noted.
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