By Kakishi wa Kanantinda
RUNDU, Aug. 11 — According to Swapo party Kavango East region nominations endorsed recently by the regional executive, all top positions including those of coordinator, information and mobilizer, and treasurer are up for grabs on Saturday 13 August 2022 in Rundu as the region prepares to give new mandates.
The current Rundu urban Swapo district coordinator Gabriel Hakusembe is currently enjoying the support of a block of three out of six constituencies in the region namely Rundu Urban, Rundu Rural and Ndonga Linena, according to the nominations sheets.
Hakusembe also got the full support of the unions.
Incumbent coordinator Otillie Shinduvi was nominated by two constituencies Mashare and Ndiyona and apparently also has the support of the wings such as elders and youth while the women’s wing is apparently split between front competitors Shinduvi and Hakusembe.
Mukwe constituency who in 2017 nominated Shinduvi for a coordinator position, this time turned against her and nominated different candidates including her third competitor Muriki Kalyangu, the current Swapo district coordinator in Mukwe constituency contest the regional coordinator’s position.
Former Swapo party regional coordinator in the same region Marceline Kahare is also back in the political limelight and also enjoying support from the same three constituencies as per the nominations sheet for regional information and mobilizer position.
Former regional treasurer of Swapo Party Youth League (SPYL) Bonifasius Kudumo received a nomination from the Ndiyona constituency and apparently also enjoys the support of the youth and Mukwe as he was also nominated there during their extra-district conference but failed because of Swapo gender rule which dictates zebra style.
Rundu businesswoman and popular member of the central committee of the Swapo party Loise Gorases was nominated by the Mukwe constituency to contest the information and mobilizer position. Mashare constituency nominated their district coordinator Gideon Livora also to compete for the regional information position but withdrew this week to support the team of Kahare, multiple sources indicated.
Protasius Ndjamba, the strongest contender for the treasurer’s position who received majority nominations from constituencies, withdrew at the last minute after noting that all three constituencies nominated him for the position none of them nominated him to be a delegate to the regional conference.
This left former Deputy Director of Youth Patrick Haingura to square off against Tughuyendere Mbunga from the Mukwe constituency for the treasurer’s position.
On the same coming, Saturday Deputy Minister of Youth Emma Kantema will also test her political influence in the region she hails from for the first time as her name including that of former Ambassador Simon Maruta, Sebastian Karupu, Damian Maghambayi and others will be thrown in the same pot to compete for Central member position. – Namibia Daily News.