Africa-Press – Namibia. SWAPO politburo member Tobie Aupindi is quietly campaigning to be nominated for ruling-party positions, such as that of vice president, promising to run under the youth banner and as a child of the liberation struggle.
Another name thrown into the succession battle is Swapo National Assembly chief whip Evelyn Nawases-Taayele, who is linked to the position of deputy secretary general.
Swapo leaders have over the past years allegedly privately admitted that the party lacks leadership options to take over from president Hage Geingob – a vacuum that has allowed Aupindi to allegedly squeeze himself into the succession saga.
Swapo vice president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, prime minister Saara Kuungelwa-Amadhila and defence minister Frans Kapofi are currently named as possible successors to Geingob.
Swapo’s succession battle is set to heat up this month with nominations for top positions set for next Monday.
There will be a central committee meeting on 10 September for more nominations and endorsements.
Campaigns are scheduled to start on 12 September.
Aupindi yesterday said: “I’m not standing for anything, let alone vice president.
“If I wanted to contest, I would just ask for a nomination and a secondment. But at this stage I’m focusing on finishing the rest of my term as both a member of the political bureau and a member of the central committee.”
He has, however, allegedly approached several ruling party elders to nominate him for the position next week.
Only president Hage Geingob, by way of a central committee decision, is guaranteed to retain the party’s presidency without an election.
The other positions, such as that of vice president, secretary general, and deputy secretary general could be up for grabs.
A Swapo party leader this week told The Namibian Aupindi wanted to launch his bid for the vice presidency as a surprise.
“He does not want people to even know which elder he asked to nominate him, due to the fear that he might be decampaigned,” the leader, who declined to be named, said.
But party insiders say Aupindi has been silently canvassing for support.
He is, however, facing a major obstacle with many in Swapo aspiring to the top-four positions.
The party’s election rules, known as the Helmut Amendments, render Aupindi ineligible for these positions.
Aupindi shocked Swapo’s factions when he secured eighth spot on the men’s list in his first attempt to be voted onto the party’s central committee at the 2017 elective congress.
He went on to obtain a seat on the party’s all-powerful politburo. He also ranked 29th on the party’s parliamentary list in 2019.
Aupindi’s campaigning strategy has been criticised for appearing to be aligned to both Swapo factions.
This helped him gain votes for the politburo and central committee at the 2017 congress.
Namibian Exile Kids Association (Neka) president Rauna Amutati says the group would support Aupindi in his bid for a higher position in the party.
“If he runs we would definitely support him, especially because he is young, and being a child of the liberation struggle is just a bonus,” she says.
Other relatively young Swapo leaders seen as having potential for the top-four positions are Armas Amukwiyu for the position of secretary general, Swapo National Assembly chief whip Evelyn Nawases-Taayele, and minister of environment, forestry and tourism Pohamba Shifeta, who has had close ties to Geingob.
There have also been calls for former Swapo Party Youth League secretary Elijah Ngurare to run for a top-four position.
Former minister of education, arts and culture Katrina Hanse-Himarwa aimed to run for the Swapo deputy secretary general position, but has been advised to abandon this plan.
Her name was mentioned as a possible candidate to help Swapo wrestle back the south from the Landless People’s Movement.
Her tainted past, which includes a corruption conviction, could, however, affect her political comeback.
Evelyn Nawases-Taayele is allegedly a strong contender for the position of deputy secretary general. She yesterday said she was not aware of her links to the deputy secretary general position.
“Those are internal things. I cannot comment,” she said.
Aupindi has in the past been linked to the Fishrot corruption scandal.
The Namibian last year reported that he was paid N$1 million in cash by Icelandic seafood company Samherji.
Aupindi, allegedly code-named ‘Mr Chairman’ in some of the evidence whistleblower Jóhannes Stefánsson provided, yesterday denied allegations that he was bribed, insisting they were “vague, embarrassing, and unfounded”.
But bribery allegations keep following him.
Last year the High Court cleared Aupindi of a criminal conviction involving him being accused of receiving a swimming pool as a bribe while he was the chief executive officer of the state tourism parastatal Namibia Wildlife Resorts.
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