SWAPO Nominates Big 4

By Staff Reporter

 Ahead of the 5^thSWAPO congress, three bigwings were nominated for top leadership positions within the party during the just ended Central Committee (CC) Meeting held on October 19 and 20 at the party headquarters in Windhoek in the Khomas region.

The three nominated cadres for the Vice President position are , current Swapo  Vice President  Dr. Hage Geingob, Minister of Trade and Industry , Justice Minister  Ms. Pendukeni Ivula-Ithana , and the former Roben Island Prisoner, Mr. Jerry Ekandjo who is the Minister of Regional and Local Government  and Housing.The three will vie for the position at the upcoming watershed congress that is scheduled to take place on November 29 to December 2, who ever is endorsed as the candidate at the congress will take over as President from Hifikepunye Pohamba.The CC meeting also nominated Minster of Safety and Security Nangolo Mbumba, who also doubles as the SWAPO Deputy Secretary, who will contest for the Secretary General position against Foreign Affairs Minister Utoni Nuyoma.Minister of Education Dr Abraham Iyambo was nominated for the Deputy General Secretary position in which he will contest against Omaheke Governor Laura McLeod-Katjirua. Ms. Netumbo Ndaitwah, Minister of  Environment and Tourism withdrew from the same position nomination.

The outcome of the nominations was announced by Ivula-Ithana during the media briefing.

The current President of the SWAPO Party Dr. Hifikepunye Pohamba stood as uncontested as he is expected to step down in 2014,

At the opening of the CC meeting, Pohamba cautioned the party loyalists assigned to serve as leaders in party structures and in the CC and congress delegates, to handle political matters with the political maturity

Pohamba warned they(Top Leaders) should not allow the matter to degenerate into factionalism and divide the party and the country Namibia.

“If that is allowed, it will only weaken our party and cause socio-economic instability in our country. It will play into the hands of our detractors and the prophets of doom who are currently attempting to portray our party as divided,” said Pohamba.

President Pohamba whose second term in the office is expiring in 2015, March 21, further appealed to his compatriots not to lose focus on challenges that facing the Namibian nation.

“We should never lose sight of the fact that our country faces multiple challenges that demand immediate attention and action,”

“I have in mind the imperative of expanding and accelerating our poverty eradication efforts, addressing the unemployment situation in the country, and the effective delivery of public services such as health care education, housing, electricity, potable water, sanitation and other basic services, especially for our people in the rural areas.” Pohamba said.