Why I differed with Hage on VP choice
Nekongo sheds light on supporting Netumbo
The SPYL honcho says it is his democratic right to differ with the head of state on how filling the Swapo vice-president's position should be conducted.
Swapo Party Youth League (SPYL) secretary Ephraim Nekongo said even though he recently joined the National Assembly courtesy of President Hage Geingob, it was his democratic choice to break rank with the head of state on the race for Swapo vice-president ahead of congress.
Nekongo is rallying behind international relations minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah as his choice for vice-president, while Geingob has deviated from the tradition of party heads endorsing their deputies to take over the party reins.
Although Geingob’s official version is that he does not want to take sides in the race, reports that he is silently supporting tourism minister Pohamba Shifeta refuse to die down.
Several calls by Nandi-Ndaitwah supporters, including former ambassador Hadino Hishongwa, urging Geingob to follow the unwritten rule of endorsing his deputy have fallen on deaf ears.
Nekongo is among those who believe tradition must carry on.
“We have been singing about ‘the legacy must continue’, so why not do the same for Netumbo if we have done so for others?” he remarked yesterday on The Evening Review.
He continued: “In the past, I have supported Dr Hage Geingob as vice-president and I am following the same principle now because Netumbo is the current vice-president”.
Democratic right
Nekongo said he respects Geingob’s decision to not endorse any candidate ahead of the watershed congress in November.
“We must respect the president’s position, perhaps that’s wisdom. I, as an individual, am supporting Netumbo and I have the right to do so,” he said.
In May, Geingob appointed Nekongo as a member of the National Assembly after the resignation of former public enterprises minister Leon Jooste in March.
On whether he owes Geingob some sort of loyalty following that appointment, Nekongo said: “It doesn’t mean because I was appointed by the president to parliament, I must go with [the president’s view]. I have my democratic right to do what is right and I think what I did right was to support Dr Hage from onset [as vice-president at the time].
“I was not forced to support him and, likewise now, I am supporting the current vice-president out of principle.”
A wise leader
Nekongo said even if the SPYL as a collective was to resolve at its meeting this weekend to endorse a candidate other than Nandi-Ndaitwah, he will not abandon the Swapo vice-president.
Referring to himself in third person, he said: “Ephraim is not the youth league, he’s an individual. Even if the youth league decides to support another candidate, I will still vote for Netumbo. When I go into the voting booth at congress, I’ll go in as an individual Swapo member.”
Nekongo added that as a ‘commander’ of SPYL, he has the power to command his comrades in the youth league “on what I think is right”.
He described Nandi-Ndaitwah as a ‘wise’ leader with an admirable tract record in government and Swapo. Nandi-Ndaitwah is in the race for the vice-president’s position alongside Shifeta and Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila.
Nekongo is rallying behind international relations minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah as his choice for vice-president, while Geingob has deviated from the tradition of party heads endorsing their deputies to take over the party reins.
Although Geingob’s official version is that he does not want to take sides in the race, reports that he is silently supporting tourism minister Pohamba Shifeta refuse to die down.
Several calls by Nandi-Ndaitwah supporters, including former ambassador Hadino Hishongwa, urging Geingob to follow the unwritten rule of endorsing his deputy have fallen on deaf ears.
Nekongo is among those who believe tradition must carry on.
“We have been singing about ‘the legacy must continue’, so why not do the same for Netumbo if we have done so for others?” he remarked yesterday on The Evening Review.
He continued: “In the past, I have supported Dr Hage Geingob as vice-president and I am following the same principle now because Netumbo is the current vice-president”.
Democratic right
Nekongo said he respects Geingob’s decision to not endorse any candidate ahead of the watershed congress in November.
“We must respect the president’s position, perhaps that’s wisdom. I, as an individual, am supporting Netumbo and I have the right to do so,” he said.
In May, Geingob appointed Nekongo as a member of the National Assembly after the resignation of former public enterprises minister Leon Jooste in March.
On whether he owes Geingob some sort of loyalty following that appointment, Nekongo said: “It doesn’t mean because I was appointed by the president to parliament, I must go with [the president’s view]. I have my democratic right to do what is right and I think what I did right was to support Dr Hage from onset [as vice-president at the time].
“I was not forced to support him and, likewise now, I am supporting the current vice-president out of principle.”
A wise leader
Nekongo said even if the SPYL as a collective was to resolve at its meeting this weekend to endorse a candidate other than Nandi-Ndaitwah, he will not abandon the Swapo vice-president.
Referring to himself in third person, he said: “Ephraim is not the youth league, he’s an individual. Even if the youth league decides to support another candidate, I will still vote for Netumbo. When I go into the voting booth at congress, I’ll go in as an individual Swapo member.”
Nekongo added that as a ‘commander’ of SPYL, he has the power to command his comrades in the youth league “on what I think is right”.
He described Nandi-Ndaitwah as a ‘wise’ leader with an admirable tract record in government and Swapo. Nandi-Ndaitwah is in the race for the vice-president’s position alongside Shifeta and Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila.
Comments
Harry Tjihukununa
We should keep the tradition as it was started by the elders. There was good reason for that, to keep unity!