Africa-Press – Namibia. Swapo secretary general Sophia Shaningwa and her followers are allegedly not happy with president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah’s Cabinet appointments.
Shaningwa and her team allegedly eyed several candidates for various ministerial positions, such as Josef Andreas for the urban and rural development portfolio.
This, sources say, is among the reasons for the alleged fallout between the president and her party’s chief administrator. Nandi-Ndaitwah hosted a birthday party for Shaningwa on Tuesday, but sources say the alliance that dominated Swapo’s 2022 elective congress is showing cracks.
The fallout centres on the selection of key government appointments. The two leaders last year allegedly agreed to jointly decide on strategic appointments in a bid to maintain party unity ahead of the general elections.
After the elections, however, Nandi-Ndaitwah increasingly chose not to consider Shaningwa’s input, instead making unilateral decisions, insiders say. They say Shaningwa’s faction is not happy with businessman and influential Swapo member Josef Andreas not being appointed as minister of urban and rural development.
This portfolio was given to James Sankwasa, who didn’t make it to the Swapo pot, but was appointed by Nandi-Ndaitwah to the parliament. ‘THEY WANT US DIVIDED’
Andreas yesterday denied any rift between Nandi-Ndaitwah and Shaningwa. “I was a key influencer during the campaign process for Nandi-Ndaitwah, but not once did I ask to be appointed as minister,” he said.
“I am a businessman and commercial farmer and would not accept a government position that would not allow me to do what I’m currently doing.
“I will accept a role such as being a board member for Meatco that pays me peanuts (like N$8 000) as retainer, but allows me to continue being a businessman.
“To travel from Grootfontein (from the farm) to Windhoek will cost me N$20 000 in accommodation and fuel. Do the math. I will choose to be a businessman instead of a politician.
“What’s happening has nothing to do with me, but I can assure you there is no fight… Those who are spreading rumours are those who were not supporting the two leaders and now they want to create division.
“Those who are including me in their rumours see me as a threat. In Swapo we have what we say ‘united we stand, divided we fall’. Now they want us to be divided,” he said.
Shaningwa’s faction allegedly also wanted Ndiyakupi Nghituwamata to be appointed as the minister of industrialisation and trade. The portfolio was, however, dismantled as a standalone ministry and Nghituwamata was appointed as the executive director of agriculture, fisheries, water and land reform.
It is also claimed that the secretary general’s faction wanted University of Namibia (Unam) vice chancellor of academic affairs professor Ferdinand Gideon to be minister of education, innovation, youth, sport, arts and culture.
Instead, this position was given to Sanet Steenkamp. Another recommendation was allegedly that former minister of environment and tourism Pohamba Shifeta, a Hage Geingob loyalist, be appointed to the Cabinet to unify the party.
Shifeta, as well as ex-minister of finance and public enterprises Iipumbu Shiimi, were relegated to ordinary parliamentarians. Shifeta yesterday said he was not approached to be minister.
“I am not aware [of being caught in the crossfire],” he said. GOING SOLO Nandi-Ndaitwah allegedly started going solo after many of her preferred candidates did not pass formal vetting.
The Namibian has reported that the president’s first choice for Cabinet secretary was Louise Shixwameni. Letshego Namibia’s chief executive, Ester Kali, was also earmarked for a key position by Nandi-Ndaitwah, but the vetting feedback did not allow the president to go ahead with her.
“I don’t have any comment on that. Thank you so much,” Kali told The Namibian last month.
The party’s vetting process is allegedly controlled by Shaningwa’s faction and didn’t return favourable feedback for Nandi-Ndaitwah’s preferred people.
Nandi-Ndaitwah was furious as those who were recommended to her, such as minister of health and social services Esperance Luvindao, received positive feedback from Shaningwa’s faction.
But when Nandi-Ndaitwah faced criticism on her appointment of Luvindao, she was allegedly furious and considered reversing the appointment. Some have criticised the state’s vetting process for being vulnerable to political pressure and influence from factions within Swapo.
Swapo secretary of defence and minister of works and transport Veikko Nekundi last month said the party’s department of defence and security does not vet presidential appointees.
“This means the department only vets cadres for the electoral college. Thereafter, there is no further vetting of who the president wishes to appoint.
“Secondly, the department does not vet the eight appointees of the president whatsoever, nor does it get involved,” he said. Analyst Rui Tyitende last month said no law requires the president to subject ministers or deputy ministers to vetting.
He said the legal framework that governs the Public Service Commission as an independent and impartial body as per Article 112 of the Constitution stipulates which public managers should be vetted.
“Put differently, a drug trafficker or a person involved in terrorism can be appointed as a minister of safety and security, as no vetting is required by law,” he said.
‘FISHY’ Political analyst Ndumba Kamwanyah says reports suggesting tension among Swapo’s top leaders are fishy, as they are only emerging now.
“I believe an agenda is being pushed to fuel the reported tension, which at this stage is not there,” he says.
Kamwanyah says such speculation, if not handled with care, could divide a party and impact Swapo’s regional and local authority elections in November. He says it could further create internal factions.
Political analyst Henning Melber says he is reluctant to interpret the situation as there could be different reasons for Shaningwa’s absence at party events.
“Namibia tends to favour a lot of rumour mongering. One should be careful to draw premature conclusions in the absence of reliable evidence.
“Hence I suggest a wait-and-see approach and efforts to verify the reasons for this,” he says.
Political analyst Sakaria Johannes, however, says Shaningwa has become a different person since Nandi-Ndaitwah appointed her new Cabinet. He says the tensions could cripple the party’s ambitions in the upcoming elections.
Although the tension is not confirmed, Johannes says the party should clarify the reports before speculation gets out of hand. Questions sent to presidential spokesperson Alfredo Hengari were not responded to yesterday. Swapo spokesperson Hilma Nikanor could not respond to questions as she was in a meeting. Shaningwa did not respond to comment.
For More News And Analysis About Namibia Follow Africa-Press
