Erasmus Shalihaxwe
Lifalaza Simataa, the national spokesperson for the Landless People’s Movement (LPM), has refuted reports that infighting with party leader Bernadus Swartbooi led to the replacement of deputy leader Henny Seibeb as the party chief whip.
Simataa said this on Tuesday while confirming the appointment of Utaara Mootu as the party’s new chief whip in parliament.
The party announced the appointment of Mootu on its social media platforms and congratulated her on her new appointment.
“Utaara Mootu is officially the new chief whip of the Landless Peoples Movement. She is now the youngest Chief Whip in the history of the Parliament of Namibia. Congratulations are in order,” said the party.
Simataa told this publication that Mootu’s appointment is part of LPM’s strategy to empower young people and place them in leadership positions within the party.
Reports claim that Swartbooi and Seibeb have not spoken for several months, and it’s still unclear if they now smoke peace pipes.
Their relationship has undergone some strain and doesn’t reflect the camaraderie they shared during their time as students at the University of Namibia and in the early days of LPM.
However, Simataa refuted rumours that Swartbooi and Seibeb’s discord led to his removal as chief whip.
For the past five months or so, there has been a barrage of speculation about whether Seibeb is still a member or not on account of his utterances to the media.
“Those are just rumours; this was done because we want more youth in leadership positions, and Utaara, who has been a member of Parliament, will be fit for the bill. So, the party is steadfast in its efforts to encourage young people to take up leadership positions now, which could be quite important.
The party that believes in youth empowerment and youth leadership, therefore this changing of the guard, allows us to display our commitment to trust in youth leadership and granting opportunities where it can to young members of society yet again,” Simataa said.
Hours after the announcement of Mootu’s new position, Seibeb and Edson Isaaks resigned from the party and parliament.
They did not give reasons for their resignation but said it would be explained at a late stage.
The party currently has four seats in the National Assembly and six in the National Council.
Political analyst Rui Tyitende said Seibeb’s resignation has been coming, considering his reported infightings with Swartbooi.
Tyitende said any keen observer of Namibian politics would have foreseen the inevitable departure of Seibeb.
“For a party that has been experiencing an exodus of leaders at regional and local government level, the departure of their co-founder and deputy leader does not bode well for the third largest party in an election year. This is the unfortunate toxic poison that plagues many political parties, especially those that emerge from the ruling party, Swapo,” he said.
Tyitende added that being an opposition party is not easy, and having a leadership crisis, internal squabbles, and bickering makes the task of running the party’s affairs even more difficult.
“The question is, are the opposition parties mature enough to rise above their differences? More importantly, what are those differences? Are they ideological? Notwithstanding these questions, even if Swapo is dysfunctional, the opposition needs to earn the right to govern. Are they up to the task of appealing to the electorate while their houses are on fire?” Tyitende asked.
Another political analyst, Stephanus Pombili blames Seibeb’s resignation on Swartbooi, whom he says is a hard person to work with.
“He is tribalistic, arrogant, self-centered, lacks leadership qualities, and is uncultured. There are many factors in the LPM that could cause tension between the two leaders, Seibeb and Swaartbooi. Remember, Swartbooi bought a car for his wife using party resources, which many party members viewed as turning the party into a personal entity. The cold war between the two leaders is an example of a failed relationship, and we were just waiting for a complete split,” he said.
With the election six months away, Pombili said the resignation of parliamentarians signals the end of the LPM.
“It must be difficult to work with someone like Swartbooi. His behaviour is that of a dictator. With outspoken members, there will always be internal infighting. He will only work with people like Utaara Mootu, whom he can control like a puppy. If you have different views, you will likely face enmity and insults from Swartbooi,” he said.
