Renthia Kaimbi
Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare has delivered a blunt ultimatum to the warring factions of the National Youth Council (NYC), insisting that the Swapo Party Youth League’s (SPYL) endorsed candidate must be accepted and that any further disruption will spell the end of the institution’s credibility.
He made the statement on social media on Monday, following the violent collapse of the NYC’s general assembly in Swakopmund over the weekend.
The youth league has thrown its weight behind Ester Simon for the position of NYC’s executive chairperson, with Ngurare declaring that this decision is non-negotiable.
“Once such a decision is made, all members are obliged to rally behind that candidate. Whether one agrees with it or not, that member is constitutionally obliged to support the decision of the majority. That is what the principle of collective responsibility entails,” he stated.
The prime minister did not mince words about the chaos that saw nine delegates injured and the assembly postponed, characterising it as a failure of leadership and a betrayal of the NYC’s founding ideals.
He reminded the feuding youth that the NYC was built on the sacrifices of towering figures such as Pohamba Shifeta and Phanuel Kaapama, who, despite their own “huge and beautiful differences,” placed the organisation above personal ambition.
“Your generational responsibility is to choose unity or disunity,” Ngurare warned.
“Do not destroy unity and the growth of NYC for short-term personal gains. Either way, the generation after you will judge your present conduct.”
Ngurare also dismissed attempts by opposition figures to exploit the divisions, noting that while collaboration with the SPYL has historically been welcomed, it should not be weaponised to score political points.
He drew comparisons to the 2006 decision by the youth league to champion guided democracy for the late President Hage Geingob in a move that required setting aside personal preferences for the greater organisational good.
Ngurare further called upon the youth to strictly follow the NYC Act, cautioning against the selective application of rules to suit momentary interests.
“Do not selectively choose requirements that suit the moment,” he said. “Follow all. Allow not to be used to rebel against Swapo for political reasons.”
He reminded the youth that while the battle for political independence was won in 1990, the fight for economic emancipation remains.
“Your generational obligation is economic independence in all 121 Constituencies of our 14 Regions. Let that be your collective shared passion,” he said.
Political analyst Sakaria Johannes told the Windhoek Observer that Ngurare’s statement serves as a firm warning aimed at quashing dissent while invoking the principles of collective accountability and responsibility.
“He’s just trying to caution young individuals who are trying to rebel against the party and do things that were not usually done, how the party has been doing certain things. By mentioning those who have done it before, he’s trying to remind individuals that: ‘Look, this is an institution that has been functioning and we’ve been having order, so when we select one person from SPYL, that’s our sole candidate for the position that you guys are fighting for,’” Johannes explained.
He further observed that the prime minister’s remarks are grounded in the morality of how he expected the NYC general assembly to be conducted.
However, Johannes cautioned against the dominance of the Swapo Party Youth League in public institutions such as the NYC, arguing that such bodies should not be politicised.
“There’s still so much influence from the ruling party towards the NYC, but the words of the prime minister, for me, is a warning. It’s a warning, a reminder or a caution but not a mere statement. It reminds everyone how the institutions used to function and how the people he mentioned used to do things,” said Johannes.
