Skipping Swapo constitution will ‘birth divisions’
Party warned not to die with Geingob
Plans to ignore the constitutional requirement to call an extraordinary congress within 90 days after Hage Geingob's passing will not unite the party, insiders warn.
Swapo party insiders and political observers have warned that if the party goes ahead with its plan to skip an extraordinary congress within the constitutionally-prescribed time, it might find itself fighting for its life in court instead of focusing on winning the November elections.
Others have warned the party not to legitimise a precedent set in 2015, when Hifikepunye Pohamba resigned as president and Hage Geingob led the party for over two years without any extraordinary congress being held. Repeating the same ‘undemocratic’ behaviour this time would create a new culture in Swapo, where leaders are placed in positions without following constitutional imperatives.
These views follow a resolution by the Swapo politburo last week to postpone a planned extraordinary congress to 2025, despite the party constitution stating that in the event of the death of the party president, such as that of Hage Geingob on 4 February, an extraordinary congress must be called within 90 days.
Geingob’s death has created a vacancy within the party for president, and, as per the party’s succession policy, whoever emerges from the extraordinary congress as party president becomes the automatic presidential candidate in the November general election.
This means party vice-president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, who was already the party’s presidential candidate for the national election following the ordinary congress results in 2022, might have to become party president at the mooted extraordinary congress in order to retain her status as party candidate.
‘Better support’
But her camp doesn’t want to take that chance, fearing eventualities such as another candidate challenging Nandi-Ndaitwah to the party president’s position, which would make the winner Swapo's presidential candidate in the national election.
“Netumbo has no reason to fear going through that legitimate process. First, the rule is that the same delegates from the 2022 congress – who voted for her overwhelmingly – will be the same delegates at the extraordinary congress. Even those of us who voted for other candidates in 2022 will now vote for her or endorse the congress decision to endorse her if no one else avails themselves, because she is essentially already our party candidate. So she will get even better support this time than in 2022,” a Swapo regional coordinator told Namibian Sun.
The coordinator says if an extraordinary congress is convened, Nandi-Ndaitwah is likely to sail through unopposed.
“What the politburo is trying to do is unconstitutional and undemocratic. You can’t postpone the congress to 2025 when the constitution says it must be called within 90 days. If Netumbo is pushed through undemocratically, it would, in fact, just cause more divisions instead of the supposed unity that they are professing.”
Position supported
Former deputy works minister James Sankwasa, a staunch Nandi-Ndaitwah supporter, supports the position taken by the politburo, citing unity ahead of national elections.
“There is nobody opposing an extraordinary congress, we are simply saying let us manage the process so that it does not lead to division,” he said.
“There is nothing wrong with the politburo recommendation to the central committee. In the past, we have had sole candidates, despite the constitution providing for three or more candidates,” Sankwasa added.
He cited as an example when Geingob faced no challenge to retain his position as party president in 2022.
“You see, my problem is here: why were there no divisions on the sole candidate [Geingob] in 2022? This is my question. It did not produce divisions, why should this sole candidacy create division?”
Constitutional principle
In Swapo, it’s not considered unconstitutional if a person attains a position because no one else stood against them.
“But it’s unconstitutional if you deliberately ensure that the process is flawed to deny potential challengers a chance to put their hands up. You can stand unopposed if no one else showed interest, and that’s what happened with Hage in 2022. Everyone was fixated on the vice-president position because that’s where the candidate for the national election was going to come from,” a senior party figure said.
Kaire Mbuende, who served as the campaign manager for Nandi-Ndaitwah ahead of the 2022 congress, said any succession talks by the politburo remain an internal Swapo discussion.
“I didn’t have this discussion with [Nandi-Ndaitwah], but I don’t think she will deviate from the principles of the constitution. She is a very strong candidate and was nominated by the last congress as presidential candidate, so there is a process, so I do not know why people are jumping the gun,” he said.
Nandi-Ndaitwah referred questions by Namibian Sun to secretary-general Sophia Shaningwa, who was not reachable for comment.
[email protected]
Others have warned the party not to legitimise a precedent set in 2015, when Hifikepunye Pohamba resigned as president and Hage Geingob led the party for over two years without any extraordinary congress being held. Repeating the same ‘undemocratic’ behaviour this time would create a new culture in Swapo, where leaders are placed in positions without following constitutional imperatives.
These views follow a resolution by the Swapo politburo last week to postpone a planned extraordinary congress to 2025, despite the party constitution stating that in the event of the death of the party president, such as that of Hage Geingob on 4 February, an extraordinary congress must be called within 90 days.
Geingob’s death has created a vacancy within the party for president, and, as per the party’s succession policy, whoever emerges from the extraordinary congress as party president becomes the automatic presidential candidate in the November general election.
This means party vice-president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, who was already the party’s presidential candidate for the national election following the ordinary congress results in 2022, might have to become party president at the mooted extraordinary congress in order to retain her status as party candidate.
‘Better support’
But her camp doesn’t want to take that chance, fearing eventualities such as another candidate challenging Nandi-Ndaitwah to the party president’s position, which would make the winner Swapo's presidential candidate in the national election.
“Netumbo has no reason to fear going through that legitimate process. First, the rule is that the same delegates from the 2022 congress – who voted for her overwhelmingly – will be the same delegates at the extraordinary congress. Even those of us who voted for other candidates in 2022 will now vote for her or endorse the congress decision to endorse her if no one else avails themselves, because she is essentially already our party candidate. So she will get even better support this time than in 2022,” a Swapo regional coordinator told Namibian Sun.
The coordinator says if an extraordinary congress is convened, Nandi-Ndaitwah is likely to sail through unopposed.
“What the politburo is trying to do is unconstitutional and undemocratic. You can’t postpone the congress to 2025 when the constitution says it must be called within 90 days. If Netumbo is pushed through undemocratically, it would, in fact, just cause more divisions instead of the supposed unity that they are professing.”
Position supported
Former deputy works minister James Sankwasa, a staunch Nandi-Ndaitwah supporter, supports the position taken by the politburo, citing unity ahead of national elections.
“There is nobody opposing an extraordinary congress, we are simply saying let us manage the process so that it does not lead to division,” he said.
“There is nothing wrong with the politburo recommendation to the central committee. In the past, we have had sole candidates, despite the constitution providing for three or more candidates,” Sankwasa added.
He cited as an example when Geingob faced no challenge to retain his position as party president in 2022.
“You see, my problem is here: why were there no divisions on the sole candidate [Geingob] in 2022? This is my question. It did not produce divisions, why should this sole candidacy create division?”
Constitutional principle
In Swapo, it’s not considered unconstitutional if a person attains a position because no one else stood against them.
“But it’s unconstitutional if you deliberately ensure that the process is flawed to deny potential challengers a chance to put their hands up. You can stand unopposed if no one else showed interest, and that’s what happened with Hage in 2022. Everyone was fixated on the vice-president position because that’s where the candidate for the national election was going to come from,” a senior party figure said.
Kaire Mbuende, who served as the campaign manager for Nandi-Ndaitwah ahead of the 2022 congress, said any succession talks by the politburo remain an internal Swapo discussion.
“I didn’t have this discussion with [Nandi-Ndaitwah], but I don’t think she will deviate from the principles of the constitution. She is a very strong candidate and was nominated by the last congress as presidential candidate, so there is a process, so I do not know why people are jumping the gun,” he said.
Nandi-Ndaitwah referred questions by Namibian Sun to secretary-general Sophia Shaningwa, who was not reachable for comment.
[email protected]
Comments
Vilho Pombili Hamutenya
No money for congress oo