By Staff Reporter
THE Caprivi African National Union (CANU) has disputed thirteen (13) key Ministries of the current SWAPO Party Government to be occupied by its designated members.
This came after the party failed to meet the current Namibian President and SWAPO Party President, Hifikepunye Pohamba on the synopsis of historical political background between two major political parties which existed for more than 47 years ago, with a merger in the early nineteen sixties.
CANU President Mr. Alex Mabuku Kamwi argues that his party is not satisfied regarding the none compliance of the ruling party SWAPO to the conditions of the merger between SWAPO and CANU that took place in September 1964 as stated in their press release statement dated November 5, 1964 signed by the then founding leaders of these political parties, Dr. Sam Nujoma of SWAPO and the then CANU Vice President, Mr. Mishake Muyongo to merge the two parties under a new name.
They have disputed the position of a Prime Minister, Ministry of Justice, Safety and Security, Finance, Ministry of Information and Communication Technology, Presidential Affairs, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Works and Transport, Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, Ministry of Trade and Industry, Ministry of Gender, Central Intelligence and Ministry of Education.
Other issue raised to the UN Resident Coordinator in Namibia, was to know to UN resolution 435 in which Namibia’s Independence was attained whether proclamation No. 147 of 1939 was taken into consideration regarding Caprivi.
Which states that “ From and after the commencement of the proclamation, the Eastern Caprivi Zipfel shall cease to be administered as part of the mandatory territory shall cease to be the administrator of the Caprivi Zipfel and the authority delegated to him by the aforesaid proclamation No.196 dated the fourteenth day of August 1929 shall not extend to the Eastern Caprivi Zipfel”
According to its president, a law student, CANU confirmed with the research conducted by the Legal Assistance Centre in Namibia that the proclamation No.147 of 1939 is still in force “ from 1939, administrative responsibility from the Eastern Caprivi Zipfel rested entirely with South Africa, with no authority over the area being delegated to the South West African administration.” says the Act.
“ The question is, can someone take decisions for our selves no… we are capable ” stressed Mr. Kamwi.
CANU is also still calling for the right to self-determination a right in the United Nations Charter, and has therefore called for a 50/50 representation within the ambit of the merger, as is the case of reference of Tanzania and Zanzibar while retaining control and power over certain State Organs and functionaries.
“ None of us made this law and even our founders (Mr. Muyongo and Mr.Simbwaye” quashed Mr. Kamwi.
Angry Mr. Kamwi who spent much of his time at the war front as plan combatant in exile left Caprivi Strip in 1977 while he was a teacher, remembers that CANU was a political party for Caprivians and he went to exile just because he was wanted by the colonialists as a loyalist member of CANU.
“ Late Chief Joshua Moraliswani of the Masubia Tribe once asked that, when will Caprivi going to get its independence?” asked CANU President who is the grand son of the two royal houses of the Mafwe and Masubia tribes.
Contacted for comments regarding the Caprivi African National Union’s demands, Presidential Affairs Minister and Attorney General Dr. Albert Kawana who is the member of the SWAPO Central Committee and Polite Buro declined to comment on their request.
“ For me, I don’t have anything to say, I cannot contradict the statement of the Secretary General (Nangolo Mbumba)” said Kawana who also referred this paper to look on the SWAPO party political program which state that “In response to this demand, SWAPO was formed on 19 April 1960, submerging one of the then active anti-colonial groups, namely, the Ovambo People’s Organisation (OPO) and, subsequently, the Caprivi African National Union (CANU). These two organizations came into existence on the initiatives of Andimba Toivo ya Toivo and Brendan Simbwaye respectively, both of whom are contemporaries of Sam Nujoma and therefore, belonging to the legion of pioneering Leaders of Namibia’s national liberation movement in that they were among those who have had enough courage and foresight to respond positively to the demand of the time and rose to the occasion to arouse to action a people that lived a life of political apathy and mistrust of its own and strength to shake off the yoke of colonial oppression.”
However, United Nations Resident Coordinator in Namibia, Mr. Musinga Bandora confirmed to Caprivi Vision that Representatives of CANU (Mr. Kamwi, the President and Mr. Roberts Sililo the Secretary General visited his office last year September and discussed on two issues such as the alleged merger of the two political parties and the Legislation of the Caprivi.
“My advice is that UN was not part of their bilateral agreement …they should go back in the same spirit of the 1964, this is out side the UN” explained Mr. Bandora.
He further responded that Caprivi is internationally recognized as part of Namibia.
When asked to shad some lights on their claims for self-determination and on the applicable proclamation no 147 of 1939 if the United Nations can use its legal instruments to interpret the said legislation.
Mr. Bandora further agued that they (CANU) should have raised their concern when Namibia gained its independence in 1990.
The new structure of the Caprivi African National Union is composed of Mr. Alex Kamwi as its President, Mr. Baxter Kulobone as Vice President, Mr. Roberts Sililo as Secretary General and Mr. Grant Mwanangombe, Secretary for Defence.
Loading …