Tujoromajo Kasuto
SWAPO Party Chairperson of the Leaders Assigned to Khomas Region and Minister of Environment, Forestry and Tourism Pohamba Shifeta is allegedly finding himself in a love triangle which could compromise his impartiality in his party function.
The Windhoek Observer is in possession of a letter directed to the Secretary General of the Swapo Party, Sophia Shaningwa, written by the Windhoek Rural District Coordinator, John Elago, requesting the SG’s office to withdraw Shifeta from any party activities of the Getrude Kandanga Branch. Elago’s request follows an alleged fallout or confrontation between two of Shifeta’s lovers at an Elissenheim Flat, where a property is said to have been damaged, according to Elago’s letter.
Elago further says that Shifeta is now accusing him of having a love affair with one of the women.
However, Shifeta denied Elago’s version of things, telling the Windhoek Observer that the allegations are made against him because he did not endorse him for the upcoming Swapo congress.
Shifeta says he cannot steep so low, adding that he told the ‘’comrade that as a leader assigned to the region, he cannot endorse any candidate’’ when Elago allegedly asked him to support him, adding that ‘’he then started saying I will be taken out of the region’’.
He added that Elago is now twisting things saying ‘’rumours are just rumours. I don’t want to waste my time with such kinds of issues’’ adding that Elago apparently only does not have issues with him alone, but with everybody.
Also contacted for comment Elago confirmed the letter to the SG, saying that he is waiting for a response from Swapo Secretary General.
However, pressed by this reporter he said that he does not need endorsement, saying ‘’I am shocked that the senior is talking about endorsements because all he needs are nominations from the structure for the congress to elect. If he is going around endorsing people that is probably why he is behaving that way, but I’m not at his mercy and not looking for endorsement as I want to follow due process and be elected properly,’’ he said.
The feud between the two came to surface following the revelation of a letter Elago submitted to Shaningwa last week requesting for Shifeta to recuse himself from Windhoek Rural activities and from any activities involving him, the Windhoek Rural District, Getrude Kandanga Branch or the Elisenheim Section as there will be a conflict of interest.
Elago in his letter writes that Shifeta is defaming him as a criminal, ‘’not trustworthy and a useless person. He also alleged that I tried reaching out to him on this affair issue and he ignored me and vowed to destroy me and my political career’’.
He accuses the minister of having an affair with two women in his branch with one of the women apparently having a child with Shifeta.
He says that after an alleged confrontation between the two women, Shifeta is now saying that Elago has an affair with the alleged baby mummy, because she visited his house in Groot Aub.
