We will endorse VP for 2024 – Mbumba
Former Swapo SG blames ‘misunderstanding’
The Presidency has promised to clarify President Geingob's remarks in which he suggested that an Swapo extraordinary congress would be held before the next general election.
Namibian vice-president Nangolo Mbumba says in the midst of the misunderstandings regarding the mooted extraordinary congress of Swapo, the party will endorse its vice-president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah as its candidate for the 2024 national presidential election.
State House on Friday issued a statement in which it promised to clarify remarks made by President Hage Geingob at the just-ended ordinary congress, in which he implied that he would resign as party president, which would necessitate an extraordinary congress to elect his successor.
That successor, it is understood, would then be the party’s candidate in the 2024 election as per the party’s succession policy.
The policy states that the head of the party is automatically its candidate in national presidential elections – unless the incumbent is ineligible to stand in the national election – as is the case with Geingob in 2024.
Support guaranteed
State House, in a brief statement issued late on Friday, said: "The Presidency has noted various statements, comments, innuendos and misrepresentations in the local media following the conclusion of the 7th Swapo Party congress, purporting falsely that President Dr Hage G. Geingob is planning to block or is not supporting the newly re-elected Swapo Party vice-president [Nandi-Ndaitwah] as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2024 presidential election."
It added: "The Presidency would like to inform the Namibian public that a comprehensive press statement will be issued [this] week in this regard."
Speaking to Namibian Sun upon inquiry yesterday, Mbumba said the party will support Nandi-Ndaitwah as its candidate in the national election.
"There have been many misunderstandings of what needs to be done. We will endorse our vice-president [Nandi-Ndaitwah] to be the party candidate. We have to have a meeting to endorse the team that is going to compete," Mbumba, a former Swapo secretary general, said.
Two schools of thought
The feeling within the Nandi-Ndaitwah support base is that by being re-elected as Swapo vice-president, she has already secured the candidacy and that there are no subsequent endorsement processes required.
Some have cited as an example how Geingob, after being elected as Swapo vice-president in 2012, automatically ascended to the Swapo candidacy for the 2014 presidential election without another congress being called to ‘formally’ endorse him.
The other school of thought in Swapo is that positions are not inherited, and therefore, if Geingob steps down as party president before the 2024 national elections, a congress must be convened to elect the new party president.
This, they argue, would avoid the same situation – described as unconstitutional – when former Swapo president Hifikepunye Pohamba quit the party presidency in 2015 and handed the position to Geingob without an election being held.
"Positions in Swapo are not inherited. You get them through election," a party member remarked.
Live remarks
On 29 October, while congratulating the winners of the top four positions at congress, Geingob remarked on live TV that "a congress before 2024, to formally, if they will, take over my position."
He said: "This means if you do that [take over the party president’s position], you will become Swapo's candidate... what we call somebody that will hold Swapo's flag high. To stand for the office of president, which I am holding right now. So it's a big day today."
Nandi-Ndaitwah last week told Namibian Sun that she is not aware of any plan by the party to hold an extraordinary congress, saying the recent elective congress did not adopt a resolution to that effect.
She said: "Normally, when we come out of congress, and it wants an extraordinary congress, it takes such a decision and states for what purpose."
State House on Friday issued a statement in which it promised to clarify remarks made by President Hage Geingob at the just-ended ordinary congress, in which he implied that he would resign as party president, which would necessitate an extraordinary congress to elect his successor.
That successor, it is understood, would then be the party’s candidate in the 2024 election as per the party’s succession policy.
The policy states that the head of the party is automatically its candidate in national presidential elections – unless the incumbent is ineligible to stand in the national election – as is the case with Geingob in 2024.
Support guaranteed
State House, in a brief statement issued late on Friday, said: "The Presidency has noted various statements, comments, innuendos and misrepresentations in the local media following the conclusion of the 7th Swapo Party congress, purporting falsely that President Dr Hage G. Geingob is planning to block or is not supporting the newly re-elected Swapo Party vice-president [Nandi-Ndaitwah] as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2024 presidential election."
It added: "The Presidency would like to inform the Namibian public that a comprehensive press statement will be issued [this] week in this regard."
Speaking to Namibian Sun upon inquiry yesterday, Mbumba said the party will support Nandi-Ndaitwah as its candidate in the national election.
"There have been many misunderstandings of what needs to be done. We will endorse our vice-president [Nandi-Ndaitwah] to be the party candidate. We have to have a meeting to endorse the team that is going to compete," Mbumba, a former Swapo secretary general, said.
Two schools of thought
The feeling within the Nandi-Ndaitwah support base is that by being re-elected as Swapo vice-president, she has already secured the candidacy and that there are no subsequent endorsement processes required.
Some have cited as an example how Geingob, after being elected as Swapo vice-president in 2012, automatically ascended to the Swapo candidacy for the 2014 presidential election without another congress being called to ‘formally’ endorse him.
The other school of thought in Swapo is that positions are not inherited, and therefore, if Geingob steps down as party president before the 2024 national elections, a congress must be convened to elect the new party president.
This, they argue, would avoid the same situation – described as unconstitutional – when former Swapo president Hifikepunye Pohamba quit the party presidency in 2015 and handed the position to Geingob without an election being held.
"Positions in Swapo are not inherited. You get them through election," a party member remarked.
Live remarks
On 29 October, while congratulating the winners of the top four positions at congress, Geingob remarked on live TV that "a congress before 2024, to formally, if they will, take over my position."
He said: "This means if you do that [take over the party president’s position], you will become Swapo's candidate... what we call somebody that will hold Swapo's flag high. To stand for the office of president, which I am holding right now. So it's a big day today."
Nandi-Ndaitwah last week told Namibian Sun that she is not aware of any plan by the party to hold an extraordinary congress, saying the recent elective congress did not adopt a resolution to that effect.
She said: "Normally, when we come out of congress, and it wants an extraordinary congress, it takes such a decision and states for what purpose."
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