Focus on Namibia Namibia: Unfinished business within the ruling party There is a new president at the helm, but the jostling for position within the ruling Swapo party, which started in 2004, has not ended. Would the adversaries’ long-held dream that the strongest and most viable opposition in Namibia emerges from within the ranks of Swapo itself, come true? Axaro Gurirab reports from Windhoek. “Can you believe it: the sun is still significant and gallant contribution to the These questions are relevant because rising in the East and setting in the West!” So democratisation of Africa. during the week leading up to the May 2004 exclaimed a colleague of mine on the occasion The political transition had seen a heated extraordinary congress, Nujoma fired of the inauguration of President Hifikepunye contest between three Swapo heavyweights, Hamutenya as foreign minister, as well as the Pohamba on 21 March 2005. This simple namely Swapo vice-president Hifikepunye then deputy foreign minister, Kaire Mbuende. observation was quite profound because until Pohamba, current prime minister Nahas Angula, It was thought at the time that Nujoma, who then many people had been at their wits’ end and former foreign affairs minister Hidipo was personally campaigning for Pohamba, took trying to imagine Namibia without Sam Nujoma, Hamutenya. these drastic steps in order to send a strong the president of the ruling Swapo party. At the extraordinary party congress in May message to the congress delegates about who He had been the country’s first president, 2004, Angula fell out in the first round, and he liked and did not like. for three consecutive terms of five years each Pohamba ended up winning the second round The “persecution” of Hamutenya did not – from 21 March 1990 until 20 March 2005. The overwhelmingly against Hamutenya. Pohamba stop there, however. At the party’s electoral constitution limits the presidential terms to two, continued his winning ways as Swapo presiden- conference in October 2004 to select the par- but a special amendment made it possible for tial candidate during the national elections in liamentary party list, Nujoma produced a list Nujoma to serve a third term. November 2004, obtaining more than 75% of of names which he said had been drawn up by Therefore, on 21 March 2005, Namibia took the votes. imperialist agents. Needless to say, Hamutenya a bold step in its political transition, thus The question on everyone’s lips is: Will was on the top of the list, as were his closest disproving the Afro-pessimists who had in Swapo survive? Or will this political behemoth and not so close comrades. And for the first typical fashion prophesied a traumatic dooms- collapse under its own self-weight? Have the time in independent Namibia, Hamutenya and day scenario for a post-Nujoma dispensation. On losing factions within the party really accepted some prominent party cadres did not make its part, Namibia once more made a historically their fate? it to parliament. It was only towards the end Politics Namibia: Unfinished business within the ruling party of last year, by an ironic twist of history, that ain’t seen nothing yet!” Hamutenya remains a his speeches and actions. For instance, he has Hamutenya moved up the party list to replace dominant figure within Swapo, having been the included the leader of the official opposition in Paulus Kapia, who was forced to resign follow- party’s chief of propaganda and strategic king- one of his official state visits to neighbouring ing allegations of corruption involving millions pin for many years. countries, and has attended a church service of of US dollars in the highly controversial Avid/ Ironically, some analysts state that he is in the conservative Dutch Reformed Church. Social Security Commission scandal. All of these fact the driving force of Swapo and that he, Unlike his tough-talking, finger-wagging, and other developments in the ruling party are wittingly or unwittingly, helped to turn Nujoma imperialist and boer-bashing predecessor, causing many people to believe that there is a into the powerful force that he is today. So, will Pohamba has created the impeccable image of lot of jostling for position beneath the surface, the congress be the final showdown between a “president for everyone”. Only a few weeks which is expected to reach boiling point as time the two party heavyweights? Will it be the pro- ago, he appointed Kaire Mbuende, Hamutenya’s approaches for the next ordinary congress of verbial fight of the titans? Will it be the ultimate strongest supporter, as Namibia’s ambassador Swapo in or around August 2007. fight of the two elephants that could cause the to the UN. Pohamba has also taken a strong All sorts of questions are now popping up: grass underneath to suffer? stance against corruption, and has demon- Will Nujoma stay on as party president? Will he Third scenario: As a com- strated this by expediting stage a comeback as country president? Will promise to cool off the over- the establishment of the Pohamba become the new party president, and heating party engine, new Anti-Corruption Commission thus serve a second term as country president? candidates could be put for- (ACC). First among those to be Has Hamutenya disappeared from the scene ward. These people, for obvi- tripped by the anti-corruption completely, or is he, the master strategist that ous reasons, are lying low and drive was the tough-talking he is, brewing up a stunning campaign? Are are flying below the radar. Nujoma loyalist, Paulus Kapia, there going to be any surprise candidates? Will a Names that come to mind, party youth leader and former new party emerge after the congress? although they are still linked deputy minister of works, Several scenarios are worth investigating: to one or other factions in the transport and communication. First scenario: There are many analysts party, are: Tuliameni Kalo- The success or failure of who postulate that Nujoma will stay on as party moh, a seasoned diplomat Pohamba’s commitment to president and will stage a comeback during who was previously deputy the fight against corruption the 2009 elections. The argument goes that minister of foreign affairs and will, in large measure, depend the national constitution limits the presidency currently the UN assistant on how many other big fish to two consecutive terms. Thus, after “sitting secretary general for political will be shown the red card on the bench” for one term during Pohamba’s affairs; Saara Kuugogelwa- that he symbolically flashed at presidency, Nujoma theoretically qualifies for Amadhila, current minister the official launch of the ACC. another two terms! This, according to most of finance; Abraham Iyambo, Above: The new man at the helm: When all has been said people, is the worst case scenario, and they current minister of fisheries President Hifikepunye Pohamba and done, it remains to be swear by the heavens that Nujoma is seriously and marine resources; John Opposite left: Time to leave: The said that the way forward considering this possibility. Pandeni, currently the party’s founding president, Sam Nujoma, cannot and will not be without Alternatively, Nujoma will retire peacefully deputy secretary general and says farewell to his staff, on his last casualties. Like any living as party president, paving the way for Pohamba minister of regional, local day in office, 18 March 2005 organism, a nation must deal to become new party president and to serve a government, housing and with its own internal contra- second term as country president. This will also rural development. dictions – the learned comrades call it the dia- open up the party vice-president position to a These and other interesting scenarios are lectics of the liberation struggle. new candidate, who is widely believed to be a hot topics at shebeens, funerals, weddings, Ideologically, there is of necessity a process woman. football matches, and other social events. The of birth, growth, death and rebirth, thus leading Among the woman candidates are Libertine mother of all the scenarios, however, is that the to higher and higher levels of revolutionary con- Amathila, the current deputy prime minister, faction that loses out at the congress will form a sciousness. The people will continue to strive to Netumbo Nadi-Ndaitwah, current minister of new party to contest the national and presiden- re-invent and re-configure themselves until they information and broadcasting, and Pendukeni tial elections in 2009. reach some form of equilibrium. Unfortunately, Livula-Ithana, current attorney general and So who will head the new party: Nujoma, there are external destabilising forces that are minister of justice. Pohamba or Hamutenya? And what could be hell-bent on aborting this process, unless there Amathila is in her mid-60s, and this could the name of the new party: the Real Swapo? Or are committed cadres who continually monitor count against her. Netumbo-Ndaitwah is known Napo (the Namibian Peoples’ Organisation)? and control the process. to be a Hamutenya supporter, and thus her This possibility has been the dream of Swapo’s There is need for a resurgence of national- fate could depend on how Hamutenya plays his adversaries who continue to believe that the istic ideology by thinkers and activists that will cards at the congress. Livula-Ithana is a strong strongest and most viable opposition in Namibia continue to extol the virtues of the struggle, and Nujoma loyalist, and with Pohamba at the helm, will emerge from within the ranks of Swapo to re-interpret the recent developments in a she could benefit from Nujoma’s power within itself. So, could this be the moment they have coherent and scientific manner.