Africa-Press – Namibia. SWAPO secretary general Sophia Shaningwa has summoned the members of the Swapo regional executive committee in the Oshana region and Swapo leaders assigned to the region to a meeting at State House.
This comes after allegations of irregularities around the party’s primary elections in the region.
According to a notice from Shaningwa’s office dated 12 August, the Swapo leaders would have appeared before a special politburo meeting yesterday.
The meeting was scheduled for 10h00 at State House.
President Hage Geingob chairs the party’s politburo meetings.
“This communique serves to invite all members of the regional executive committee of the Oshana region and the national leaders assigned to the Oshana region to appear before the political bureau of the central committee of Swapo party at its meeting scheduled to take place as follows: Monday, 15 August 2022, at State House at 10h00,” Shaningwa wrote.
The Oshana region was anticipated to hold its regional conference on Saturday, but the conference was called off at the last minute over allegations of irregularities.
Had it gone ahead, the regional conference would have elected a new party regional coordinator, mobiliser and treasurer.
It would also have elected 10 delegates to the Swapo elective congress slated for later this year.
Oshana regional coordinator Samuel Nelongo on 9 August wrote to Geingob in response to a telephonic conversation with the president regarding complaints and a petition on Oshana region elimination, in which the names of candidates vying for positions in the region were verified before being sent to Windhoek for vetting.
According to Nelongo’s letter to Geingob, those who were nominated include minister of finance Iipumbu Shiimi for regional treasurer, and former Swapo Party Youth League leader Paulus Kapia for the central committee.
Nelongo told Geingob after these names and others were submitted to Swapo’s headquarters in Windhoek, new names were allegedly added, such as those of erstwhile Oshakati Town Council chief executive officer Werner Iita, and former mayor Katrina Shimbulu.
This is despite them allegedly being eliminated on 4 August.
Iita reportedly managed to garner two votes, while Shimbulu received zero votes on the same day.
Those who were also added are incumbent regional treasurer Paulus Nuuyoma, and Swapo Elders Council member Tuyenikelao Nicanor.
Nuuyoma did not garner a vote, while Nicanor, from the Khomas region, was allegedly not nominated.
According to a petition to Geingob dated 12 August, Nelongo said the decision of the regional executive committee was nullified by Shaningwa’s office.
“The office of the secretary general has no mandate to add candidates to those recommended by the regional executive committee.
“The office of the regional coordinator has identified a contradiction on the list from the office of the secretary general, involving that the national leadership has nullified the decision of the regional executive committee meeting on 4 August, and at the same time the office of the secretary general allowed the political bureau to legitimate the vetting of names from the illegal meeting. This needs to be cleared,” Nelongo wrote to Geingob.
Asked about the meeting yesterday, Nelongo said an announcement would be made on the matter, and the media would be informed.
The chairperson of Swapo leaders assigned to the Oshana region, Veikko Nekundi, could not be reached for comment.
Neither Iita nor Shaningwa could be reached for comment yesterday.
Party executive director Austin Samupwa yesterday said he was not aware of the meeting or names added to the list submitted to Swapo’s headquarters as he was not in Windhoek.
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