SWAPO – Page 3 – Windhoek Observer

20 Oct

Swapo rules out Geingob apology…as PDM files complaint with Ombudsman against President

ObserverObserver Moneypresident Hage Geingob, SWAPO

Andrew Kathindi Swapo party said there is no reason why President Hage Geingob should apologize or withdraw statements he made over the weekend about white voters, which has sparked heated political debate ahead of next month elections. This comes as the Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) have filed a complaint with the Office of the Ombudsman against President Geingob, calling for the President to withdraw his statements. However, Swapo Spokesperson, Hilma Nicanor, maintains there is no need for Geingob to withdraw his words, arguing that he had a democratic right to speak his mind. “We know those who were not there…

18 Sep

Venaani hits back at SWAPO over Zim motion

ObserverObserver MoneyMcHenry Venaani, Popular Democratic Movement (PDM), SWAPO, Zimbabwe

Clifton Movirongo Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) president McHenry Venaani has hit back at the ruling party’s decision to vote down a parliamentary motion tabled by his party on the current “crisis” in Zimbabwe, even before the motion was motivated. “To us, it is a greatest act of cowardice and in a gross disregard of the plight of the people of Zimbabwe. While I do respect and abide to the majoritarian rule tenet that applies to constitutional democracies such as ours, we also do not condone majoritarian rule that defies logic,” Venaani said. The PDM leader hints that instability in Zimbabwe…

17 Sep

Swapo grapples with 2/3 majority loss …As state of emergency extension requires parliamentary approval

ObserverObserver Moneypresident Hage Geingob, SWAPO

Andrew Kathindi Swapo has for the first time felt the impact of losing the 2/3 majority in Parliament as the decision over extending the state of emergency looms. This comes as President Hage Geingob would need a two/third majority (66 members of the 95 voting members) in order to extend state of emergency which lapses on Thursday. Geingob will address the nation tomorrow to pronounce himself on the matter. Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) leader, McHenry Venaani last week said that his party will not support any extension of the state of emergency. “That 2/3 majority allows the [ruling] party that…

28 Aug

‘Good riddance’: Shaningwa on resignations

ObserverObserver MoneyAffirmative Repositioning (AR), Job Amupanda, Knowledge Iipinge, Panduleni Iitula, SWAPO

Andrew Kathindi Swapo party Secretary General (SG) Sophia Shaningwa has said good riddance after a number of opinionated, outspoken youthful members, including Job Amupanda, officially resigned as members of the ruling party on Wednesday. The Affirmative Repositioning (AR) leader along with a number of former Swapo party youth league members, including Walvis Bay constituency councilor Knowledge Iipinge, officially left the party in a coordinated effort on Heroes’ Day, attributing their decision to not wanting to be associated with the “corrupt” Swapo party. Shaningwa, however, welcomed their departure, stating that it was a “headache off her shoulders as a Secretary General…

04 Aug

Shiimi in tribalism storm . . . as opposition parties push back

ObserverObserver MoneyIipumbu Shiimi, SWAPO

Andrew Kathindi Opposition party leaders have hit back at Finance Minister, Iipumbu Shiimi for claims that new political parties were being founded by tribalists. On his social media page, Shiimi stated, “Tribalism will destroy Namibia as it has done in some countries. I am concerned about new political parties/associations that are being formed by tribalists. True Namibians should reject these tribal projects.” Shiimi’s comments were met with a barrage of criticism. It is believed that his comments may have been aimed at parties such as Landless People’s Movement (LPM), which was formed in 2018. Its leader, Bernadus Swartbooi has been…

21 Jul

Civil Rights Icon, advocate for Namibian Independence, dead at age 80

ObserverUncategorisedNamibia, Namibians, SWAPO

… Representative John Lewis passes on Jackie Wilson Asheeke So many Namibians today have never heard of John Lewis. And yet, he and many other members of the US Congressional Black Caucus in the pre-independence days had heard of Namibia. Representative Lewis and many US legislators made speeches regularly denouncing US political and economic support for white supremacy in Africa. Now, John Lewis’ time is passed and he has gone home to a well-earned rest. In the several times I met him during the height of my group’s anti-apartheid work in Washington, DC back in the day, I found him…

13 Jul

Geingob takes the low road

ObserverNational NewsSophia Shaningwa, SWAPO, Swapo Party

On Sunday, we were expecting a firm, unequivocal refutation of accusations of any and all links to Swapo from the Fishrot scandal. We didn’t get it. Geingob took the low road. He presented defensive bluster and selective phrasing in his qualified denial that Swapo fingers are in the fish pie. The president of Swapo held his media conference on Sunday where he says people “will not see any money [in Swapo accounts] coming from Fishrot.” The notoriously media-hostile and inarticulate Swapo Party Secretary-General, Sophia Shaningwa, spoke up. She invited “anyone” to contact the Swapo office to access party financial records.…

09 Jul

Swapo unmoved by new parties

ObserverObserver MoneyElectoral Commission of Namibia (ECN), Hilma Ndinelago Nicanor, Job Amupanda, Panduleni Itula, SWAPO, Swapo Party

Andrew Kathindi The ruling Swapo party says it is not moved by news of political parties being formed by former members and registered to contest the upcoming local elections. This comes after Panduleni Itula, who last year contested the presidential elections, and narrowly lost to President Hage Geingob, lodged an application with the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) to register a political party. Itula was expelled from the party earlier this year for contesting as an independent candidate. Recently, Job Amupanda, leader of the Affirmative Repositioning movement also announced that the movement would register as a political organization to contest…

03 Jul

Namibia’s Long Road to National Reconciliation – Part 2

ObserverUncategorisedpresident Hage Geingob, SWAPO

Oiva Angula All Namibians know it was war, but wars are less chaotic than they appear. Pain, suffering and death are inflicted on someone’s orders. And wars have laws – some are supposed to protect even ‘enemy spies’ by treating them humanely in all circumstances. Protecting such ‘spies’ against murder, torture, humiliating or degrading treatment, and providing such ‘spies’ a fair trial was and is in line with international law. In dealing with the spy hysteria “Swapo perfidiously defied all established international protocols regarding armed conflicts,” says Pauline Dempers, the BWS national coordinator. The Swapo Party has through the years,…

03 Jul

Namibia’s long road to national reconciliation – Part 1

ObserverUncategorisedLubango, Namibia, SWAPO

Oiva Angula The two past weeks, Namibia’s National Assembly has been embroiled in a dramatic, sometimes bitter, debate about national reconciliation. This is not the first such debate since independence in 1990. Namibia seems to be burdened with a lingering wound of its past with some sections of society still crying for reconciliation, social integration and national healing. The great hope of a society based on social cohesion as promised at independence appears illusive for some Namibians. As a survivor of Swapo’s Lubango prison camps, Tangeni Mureko, 49, needed no reminder of how painful it was to live; how terrible…