Staff Writer
A bitter struggle has emerged within the Swapo Party’s Otjozondjupa region, with regional leadership and a national leader assigned to the region clashing over the legitimacy of Grootfontein’s mandate renewal process and the tenure of its district office bearers.
The dispute has exposed divisions over the interpretation of the party’s constitution, the authority of leaders assigned to regions and the validity of a 2025 mandate renewal exercise.
The conflict intensified this week after Hofni Iipinge, chairperson of leaders assigned to Otjozondjupa, instructed regional coordinator Immanuel Namaseb to halt ongoing section mandate renewals in Grootfontein, arguing that the process had already been completed by a Political Bureau-appointed task force last year.
In a letter dated 19 October 2026, Iipinge said the task force had conducted the renewal of section mandates between 16 and 20 April 2025, accusing the regional leadership of duplicating the exercise in violation of Article 47(4) of the SWAPO Party Constitution.
He also questioned the legitimacy of an elections committee allegedly involved in the current process, saying its establishment, composition and mandate were unclear and that he had neither been consulted nor informed.
Iipinge directed Namaseb to stop all section mandate renewal activities in Grootfontein, establish a legitimate elections committee in consultation with his office and ensure that branch and district mandates were finalised by 31 October 2026.
He further questioned the continued occupation of office by Grootfontein district coordinator James Shipunda, whose term he said had expired in August 2026.
However, Namaseb rejected Iipinge’s intervention, arguing that leaders assigned to regions have an advisory and oversight role but lack the authority to issue directives to regional leadership or overturn decisions taken by the District Executive Committee (DEC) and Regional Executive Committee (REC).
In his response dated 20 October, Namaseb expressed regret that Iipinge’s absence from REC meetings had deprived him of first-hand information about developments in the region.
“To attempt to do so is to undermine the very structures you are assigned to oversee,” Namaseb wrote. “(The) Swapo Party is governed by its constitution, not by the personal directives of individual leaders, however senior.”
Namaseb maintained that the region had not appointed a committee to conduct the renewal process.
Instead, he said, the process was being handled through the party’s established structures, with branches appointing election committees for section renewals and the district appointing a committee for branch renewals.
He also defended Shipunda’s continued tenure, saying he would remain district coordinator until the next district conference elects a new coordinator or re-elects him.
Namaseb also challenged the legitimacy of the 2025 task force process, describing it as illegal and contrary to the party’s constitution and rules.
Namaseb alleged that the process had been “cooked” and that no reports had been submitted, claiming the Political Bureau had been misled.
He said the regional leadership had previously resolved to uphold the process in the interest of party unity and peace despite what he described as irregularities.
Namaseb further alleged that the disputed process contributed to Swapo’s poor performance in the local authority elections and nearly cost the party the regional council elections last year.
“Your reference to Article 47(4) of the Constitution is noted, but that provision governs the composition and term of Section offices. It does not confer upon your office the authority to direct or halt a process lawfully initiated by the District Executive Committee,” Namaseb stated.
The dispute over Grootfontein’s district leadership was subsequently addressed by Swapo secretary general Sophia Shaningwa, who issued a formal notice to Shipunda on 20 October.
In the notice, copied to both Iipinge and Namaseb, Shanigwa confirmed that the terms of the Grootfontein district office bearers, including the district coordinator, district information and mobilisation officer, and district treasurer, had expired in August 2026.
She instructed Shipunda to ensure that the “long overdue” district conference was convened on or before 31 October 2026 in accordance with the party constitution.
The directive places pressure on the Grootfontein district leadership to convene the conference amid the escalating dispute over the mandate renewal process and the authority of the competing party structures.
