Stefanus Nashama
Member of the National Assembly, Maximalliant Katjimune from the Popular Democratic Movement (PDM), has urged the Namibia Football Association (NFA) to enforce and implement rules and regulations regarding the involvement of players in the open political arena.
Katjimune believes that without proper guidance for players’ participation in politics, they may set a dangerous precedent.
Katjimune said this on Tuesday, in response to the Swapo’s announcement on Sunday on its social media page that international professional football player Peter Shalulile has joined the party.
“Game on. Comrade Peter Shalulile joined Swapo. November, here we come,” the post reads.
The post captures Shalulile with a Swapo leader from the Khomas region who is holding a membership card, a registration form, and a T-shirt with the face of the party’s presidential candidate, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah.
Katjimune expressed that Shalulile’s public engagement in politics was an untenable situation and could not become the norm.
“That is an untenable situation that cannot become the norm. The NFA should put in place rules and regulations regarding the participation of our players in the open political field,” he stressed.
He further emphasised that Shalulile is the captain of the Namibia national team, and his public political exposure may bring football and sports into factional political divides.
“Shalulile is a captain of the Brave Warriors, the national football team representing and supported by all Namibians,” he mentioned.
While Article 17 of the Namibian Constitution guarantees the right to political activity, Katjimune advises players to take ethical considerations into account when engaging in political activity.
“Now, when you take an openly political stance as he did as the national team captain, he exposes our football and sports in general through factional political divides. Politics often divides people, and sports is known as a unifier. The two cannot co-exist. He is actually setting a dangerous precedent. Imagine if all our football players started taking an open political stance and campaigning for political parties,” he said.
In accordance with Article Five of the 2023 Statutes of the NFA, the association maintains a neutral stance on matters pertaining to politics, religion, ethnicity, and gender.
All members are required to uphold neutrality in these areas and ensure that their conduct remains free from political interference.
“The NFA is neutral in matters of politics, religion, ethnicity and gender. The members of the NFA shall also be neutral in matters of politics, religion, ethnicity and gender and shall ensure that their members remain neutral,” states the article.
Despite this, it is not yet established whether players at the level of Shalulile are allowed to directly and publicly participate in politics, as efforts to obtain comments from the NFA have been futile.
Shalulile is not the first footballer to join the Swapo.
The likes of former Walvis Bay urban constituency councillor, Knowledge Ipinge and former Okahandja mayor Congo Hindjou were Swapo members.
Former Brave Warriors goalkeeper Denzel Bruwer is a member of the Landless People’s Movement (LPM).
According to Eneas Emvula of the LPM, Shalulile may have forgotten the hindrance that the same political party has imposed on Namibia’s progress in sports development.
“How Shalulile believes his stunt would lead to a change of the status quo is mind-boggling,” he questioned.
Emvula said a political affiliation is an act that is protected by the constitution and that must be respected at all times.
“Whether it is in his best interest and that of the general public, the national team, and FIFA at large, such a PR stunt is something that time will tell. Several countries, including Kenya, learned the hard way that politics and soccer don’t and shouldn’t be mixed, and that is purely based on the chaos in the sports fraternity that political party expressions of players harbour,” he emphasised.
Immanuel Nashinge, a spokesperson for Independence Patriots for Change (IPC), questioned on social media whether Swapo paid Shalulile to join the party.
“Did they pay him? Does he understand at all? The same guy that plays his home games in South Africa at N$8000 per game thinks of joining the Swapo government,” he said.
Political analyst Ndumba Kamwanyah said there is nothing wrong with both Swapo and Shalulile.
According to him, Shalulile, as a national player, still has the right to participate in the politics of his choice and join any party.
“It is his political right to associate with a political party of his choice. It is also not wrong for Swapo to have him as a member. Shalulile, as an influencer, would bring more support to the party. I do not know why people are making that an issue,” he stressed.
