By Nankali za Museregwa
RUNDU, 27 April 2022 – The recently-held Swapo Party Elders Council (SPEC) conference, which endorsed former Ndiyona constituency councilor, Hildegardt Mangundu, as the sole candidate for secretary, ended in chaos. Some are accusing Swapo Party regional coordinator, Otillie Shinduvi, and Kavango East governor, Bonny Wakudumo, who doubles as Swapo Party regional mobilizer, of interference leading some districts like Rundu Urban, Rundu Rural, and Ndonga Linena to boycott and walk out.
Three remaining districts, Mukwe, Ndiyona, and Mashare, however, continued with the meeting.
Delegates from the six constituencies in Kavango East attended the event at the Kayengona tribal authority in Rundu Rural constituency on Friday, 16 April.
The dispute is over the disgruntled group accusing Shinduvi of lobbying for a letter from head office, which was read at the conference, banning potential candidate, Ben Sikanga, from Ndonga Linena, from taking part in the election apparently due to the fact he was recently elected at the district level, while his supporters argue that is unconstitutional.
Another serious concern is how 50-year-old Santos Kabwata, a close associate of Governor Wakudumo, was elected as a regional mobilizer for the Elders Council while never having served in the Elder’s structure before, and also that the structure or district he comes from remains a mystery.
Contacted for comment, deputy secretary of Swapo Party Elders Council, Mary Masule, refused to comment on the matter saying her secretary, Mukwaita Shanyengana, was the right person to speak on the matter.
“I can’t speak on behalf of our secretary since he is there in good health and not sick,” she said before hanging up her phone.
When this reporter contacted Shanyengana he denied writing a letter of instruction banning Ben Sikanga from participating in the elective conference for the Kavango East region.
“You know [at the] time of elections many things happen and losers are always coming up with different excuses, and this might be the case, however, I’m still waiting for a report from our office in the Kavango East region, including from returning officers, as what happened,” Shanyengana said.
Critics have fingered the returning officer and Swapo Party, regional secretary, Anselm Marungu, for allegedly favoring some candidates at the conference.
Both Shinduvi and Wakudumo could not be reached for comments as their mobile phones kept ringing unanswered. – Namibia Daily News
