Erasmus Shalihaxwe
Michael Amushelelo has re-joined the Namibia Economic Freedom Fighters (NEFF).
He announced his return on Wednesday at a media conference where the leadership of NEFF welcomed him back to the party four months after he resigned.
Amushelelo claimed that his decision to defect from the NEFF and join the Landless People’s Movement (LPM) was part of a plot to subvert the Swapo-led government and re-register the NEFF.
“Ever since I joined the Namibia Economic Freedom Fighters, we became a threat to this corrupt government, and they needed to get rid of us by any means necessary. Upon the unconstitutional de-registration of NEFF, we sat down with the leadership to discuss our plans on how we are going to outsmart, outthink, and outmanoeuvre the ruthless and brutally corrupt government,” he said.
The Electoral Commission of Namibia de-registered the NEEF and the Body of Christ party earlier this year for failing to submit audited financial reports.
This led to Amushelelo leaving the party, accusing the NEFF leaders of failing to account for public funds, and then joining LPM.
However, NEFF challenged the ECN’s decision in the High Court and won the case.
On Wednesday, Amushelelo stated that ever since he joined the NEFF, the party had become a threat to the government.
He said they had to come up with a strategy to distract the government into thinking he had left NEFF by joining another party.
‘’I was tasked with seeking political refuge in another political party in order to take attention away from NEFF so that the party could continue to fight for re-registration. In order to fool the government, we had to drive a narrative that there was a serious issue between NEFF and myself so that there is not a single inch of doubt that I have any plans of returning upon the re-registration of the party,’’ he stated.
He added that NEFF is grateful to LPM for accommodating them while working out their plans for getting back on their feet.
‘’We most certainly outmanoeuvred the corrupt government that still has a bad habit of using Lubango Dungeons tactics to silence political opponents. We will continue fighting until we achieve economic freedom in our lifetime,’’ he expressed.
LPM national spokesperson Lifalaza Simataa said Amushelelo has not communicated with the party about his return to NEFF.
‘’As it stands, the gentleman in question has not tendered a formal resignation from the party in any form of communication. However, due to evident public expressions, we as the party fully accept his resignation and no longer consider him a member of the Landless People’s Movement,’’ said Simataa.
