With less than two months before the National Unity Democratic Organisation heads for internal elections, the party is at sixes and sevens regarding contestants for the top post.
This is after Nudo’s national council (NC) – its highest decision-making organ in congress – over the weekend failed to endorse the five names that were brought forth for the presidential position.
So far, Nudo secretary general Joseph Kauandenge, party vice president and Aminius constituency councillor Peter Kazongominja, Windhoek deputy mayor Joseph Uapingene, former Okakarara constituency councillor Vetaruhe Kandorozu and ex-Namibia Football Association secretary general Barry Rukoro, have all shown interest in the coveted party presidency position.
But when the NC met over the weekend, consensus was not reached on who should or should not stand for the position. Instead, it has now been left to the congress to decide on the candidate.
At the watershed Indaba, over 500 Nudo loyalists will meet under one roof between 12 and 13 July to decide the party’s fate for the next five years.
Incumbent party leader deputy health minister Utjiua Miunjangue will not mount a fight to retain the position.
She is the first woman to ever lead a political formation in Namibia’s history.
Heated
During the upcoming congress, slates are prohibited and aspiring candidates will only be allowed to organise individual or solo format public campaigns as opposed to major rallies.
What is more, Kandorozu’s name featured prominently during the NC’s marathon meetings between Friday and Sunday.
A bone of contention was, following his suspension and subsequent reinstatement, “Will he be treated as a new member or will he retain his former position”?
“Some people were saying he is a ‘new member’. But then, we’re saying we reinstated him. How do you reinstate a new member? A new member should just join,” the NC member said.
The source continued: “The other thing is Kandorozu’s position as a former councillor. He automatically qualifies for a leadership position based on that. So, if we say he doesn’t qualify, does it mean we’re going against the country’s supreme law, which recognises him and pays him as a former member of the regional council”?
“After this, it was agreed that we must just defer the vetting and nomination of candidates to the congress floor, where delegates will be allowed to nominate,” said the source.
The other name was that of Rukoro.
Rukoro, since making himself available for the position earlier this year, drew Kauandenge’s ire, with the latter quickly disputing his Nudo membership.
Later, a Rukoro Nudo membership card, dated 18 November 2003, surfaced.
Rukoro’s fate, it appears, is in the hands of the congress delegates.
“This issue was briefly discussed and because it was not finalised, it was referred to back to the national executive committee for finalisation and report back to the NC,” Kauandenge said.
Briefing
Addressing a press conference yesterday, Kauandenge said a strategic decision to avert disunity among party members was taken over the weekend.
During a press briefing yesterday in Windhoek, Kauandenge added that aspirants can campaign freely on a small scale internally.
On Kandorozu, Kauandenge had this to say: “The issue of Mr Kandorozu was discussed at length for the second time, and it was referred to the congress for final deliberations and conclusion whether he will be allowed to stand or not.”
Kandorozu’s dismissal followed shortly after he was banned around August 2020 by the party from actively participating or contesting for any leadership positions within the party for two years after he was found guilty of having de-campaigned his party in 2019.
Kauandenge added that the party can account for every cent they spent over the last five years, a feat he believes is worthy of praise after allegations have emerged that the party misappropriated funds.
“We heard that there are parties that were deregistered from the Electoral Commission because they could not comply with the provision of the Electoral Act. Why was Nudo not deregistered if, for the five years, we could not account for the money that was given to us by the state,” he stated.
He said they will prove and make it categorically clear that their finances are not in shambles as claimed.
Conflict
When questioned whether he would recuse himself as the secretary general due to his interest in the presidency of the party, Kauandenge said that would never happen.
He made references to other politicians like Swapo secretary general Sophia Shaningwa or his predecessor Meundju Jahanika, who never recused themselves from their positions, despite vying to retain the same.
“There is no way in hell [that] I would recuse myself. But when it comes to a position where I feel the conflict of interest on my part, I will use my mind and recuse myself,” said Kauandenge, adding that, “power is sweet.”
On branch restructuring, his office will expedite the process to ensure at least 80% of the branches are reconstructed before congress.
Success
Dismissing claims that she has deserted Nudo in favour of her deputy ministerial portfolio, Muinjangue said she has achieved a lot over the past five years.
“Together with the office of the secretary general, we worked on recruiting more members, especially the youth in areas that were never on the Nudo agenda. We got membership of young people in the Kavango east and west. The same with Zambezi. We also got new members,” recalled Muinjangue.
She also succeeded while the odds were stacked against her “in a toxic environment”.
“I am wondering all the time: why these years? Why are people interested in the Nudo party? Nudo is not new. It has been there. But now we are talking more about the party. Is it because we are being seen and noticed? Because you don’t talk about something or someone who doesn’t do anything,” she said rhetorically.
One of Muinjangue’s biggest crimes, at least for certain Nudo quarters, was accepting the appointment as deputy health minister.
However, from where she stands, accepting the role was a strategic move, as it meant that “Nudo was now governing with Swapo”.
“To say that I am more on the ministerial side than the party is not true at all. We have party events over the weekends. I have been there and if I am not there, I am out of the country, but we should remember that as political parties, we campaign for power – and that we have,” she said.
Photos: Nudo
Caption: Nudo 1 – Utijiua Miunjangue
Caption: Nudo 2 – Joseph Kauandenge
Caption: Nudo 3 – Veteruhe Kandorozu
Caption: Nudo 4 – Barry Rukoro
Photos: Nampa