Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Eliaser Ndeyanale
Published on 2024-04-17 17:00:00
Shaningwa rejects visit by new leadership
Swapo’s central committee (CC) has made a decision to postpone the affiliation application of the Namibian Exile Kids Association (Neka), which is seen as a rejection for defying the party’s top administrator, Sophia Shaningwa. This decision was made after the association went against Shaningwa’s request to postpone its congress at Otjiwarongo.
Sources familiar with the matter have revealed that Shaningwa has also turned down a proposal to meet with the new Neka leadership following the disputed congress. The Namibian has learned that the postponement was communicated during the CC meeting after Swapo’s Oshikoto regional coordinator, Armas Amukwiyu, inquired about Neka’s application for affiliation with the party.
During the discussion at the meeting, the party’s vice president, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, suggested that Neka members could be considered to campaign for the party in the lead-up to the 27 November elections, while president Nangolo Mbumba proposed that the matter be deferred to the following year.
Last month, NamWater executive Kadiva Hamutumwa emerged as the winner of the race for Neka’s presidency. She is considered a rising star in Nandi-Ndaitwah’s camp within Swapo, and it seems that her camp is not keen on challenging Shaningwa.
Former Neka secretary general Mao Angula stated that the association submitted an application to be recognized as an affiliate of Swapo. He mentioned that the application was submitted to the party last year.
Neka is comprised of individuals who were either born or raised in exile, and it is divided into two groups – Neka itself and a breakaway group known as Children of the Liberation Struggle (CLS). Both groups have reportedly submitted applications for affiliation with Swapo.
Following Neka’s annual general meeting at Otjiwarongo, the new Neka leadership attempted to follow up on their application for affiliation with the secretary general’s office. However, they were instructed to return with a report on the outcomes of the meeting. On the other hand, former Neka president Rauna Amutati claimed that CLS is merely a social club operated by individual Neka members, and she was unaware of their application for affiliation with the party.
Two Swapo CC members clarified that the party required Neka to produce a report on their general meeting before any decisions regarding affiliation could be made. Shaningwa and her deputy were unavailable for comment, while Hamutumwa declined to comment on the matter.
In conclusion, the Namibian Exile Kids Association’s application for affiliation with Swapo has sparked controversy and division within the party, with the postponement of the decision causing further tensions. The future of Neka’s affiliation with Swapo remains uncertain as the party awaits a report from the association’s leadership.
Read the original article on The Namibian
