Africa-Press – Namibia. A list of 14 aspiring candidates in the Grootfontein district’s upcoming regional and local authority elections has been put on hold without explanation, This has sparked anger among district branches claiming names are being ‘cooked’.
A source yesterday said the names were submitted in July to regional coordinator Immanuel Namaseb.
Namaseb then referred the names to the party’s head office for vetting and only got them back on 2 September, only to be told the list of names has been put on hold till further notice.
“When I received that letter, I asked the executive director about the explanation, and I was told I would be told in due course and that I should not be worried. The list was not discarded, only recalled until further notice,” says Namaseb.
He says the claims that names were removed are not true. He states that all names sent to his office and vetted, including that of Okahandja, are included and unchanged.
He says the rules only require 14 nominees and if more people are nominated they undergo elimination until 14 candidates remain, a process, he says, was carried out by the district branches themselves.
Asked about concerns regarding the 16 October deadline for candidate lists, Namaseb says the party is cognisant of it and will give direction before the deadline.
He says confrontations, and back and forth in the branches are a part of democracy.
“These things one cannot control. When you nominate someone not everyone is going to like them, hence the process can get lengthy at times. That’s why we have the elimination process for a final list of candidates to emerge.”
He says Grootfontein and Okahandja are not the only affected districts, as Arandis, Walvis Bay and Tsumkwe are all having issues of their own.
The Walvis Bay Urban and Rural district was set to have its conference this past weekend but that was postponed, with coordinator Patrick Bathromeus citing internal reasons.
Meanwhile, Tsumkwe nominations were put on hold to sort out irregularities.
“We are questioning the halt of the list, because already during nominations there were names pushed onto the list by the treasurer, who is close to the party secretary general, which we did not agree to, and we will not be surprised if the 14 names come back looking different,” says a source.
The party treasurer, Joseph Andreas, has refuted the claims, labelling them as unfounded and defamatory.
“Ask them to provide you with proof. Equally, how does one person overrule the majority of the people? This is pure lies,” he says.
Grootfontein district coordinator James Shipunda says “we are just waiting and any questions on the matter must be directed to our regional coordinator”.
Tsumkwe San community activist Matambo Kamibla said yesterday the conference was postponed without explanation on Sunday by Royal Ui/o/oo, the chairperson assigned to Tsumkwe by the party.
“We are not happy, because we want the restructuring of branches because the ones conducted have many irregularities which need addressing,” he said.
For More News And Analysis About Namibia Follow Africa-Press
