RDP postpones elective congress to 2019

WINDHOEK, 11 DEC  – The Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP) will no longer hold an elective convention for its top four positions in December 2018, as reported earlier in the year.

The highly anticipated internal RDP election will now take place after March 2019.

This announcement comes after the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) resolved at a meeting on Saturday to extend to extend the time-frame for regional structures congresses and allow its various wings to complete their branch, district and regional conferences and conventions by March 15, 2019.

“No further extensions shall be given beyond this date and all structures that are not concluded by then shall be excluded from sending delegates to the third ordinary National Convention of RDP,” the party’s secretary for information and publicity, Nghiningiluandubo Kashume, said in a statement issued on Monday.

Other decisions that emanated from the NEC meeting include the scheduling of a central committee meeting, which will be held on 16 February 2019.

The RDP’s NEC also resolved that the party’s department of organization and political orientation, regional leaderships and national leaders assigned to the regions must ensure that the Constitution is strictly adhered to in the process of structuring the of the party and the election of the delegates to the anticipated convention.

“The NEC [also] resolved that the Office of the Secretary General, together with the Department of Party Organization and Political Orientation must ensure that the election of delegates is strictly vetted to guarantee a smooth holding of the national convention,” Kashume said.

Considering what will be at stake when it holds its elective convention, RDP’s NEC urged the districts, regions and party wings to delegate long-run members, who have been in the party for at least five years.

“This aspect is crucial because the national convention elects the national leaders whose qualifications include RDP membership of at least five (5) years,” he said.

So far, two factions, one led by RDP’s current secretary general (SG) Mike Kavekotora and central committee member, Miriam Hamutenya, have emerged.

Kavekotora’s running mates are businessman-and-politician, Kennedy Shekupakela as vice-president while City of Windhoek councillor Brunhilde Cornelius is the slate choice for SG.

Their deputy SG candidate is parliamentarian and long-serving RDP member, Agnes Limbo.

On her slate, Hamutenya will be deputised by businessman and former parliamentarian, Heiko Lucks.

For the position of SG, the Hamutenya-led slate has Walter Ndakondja, who is a former school principal and education inspector, as its candidate, while Sibuku Malumbano will be its candidate for the deputy SG position. – NAMPA