Martin Endjala
The Swapo Party Youth League central committee slated for this Saturday, 29 April comes at a crucial time for the mother body, which itself will be holding its congress at the end of this year.
Political observers, opposition parties and the public as well is watching every activity of the Swapo Party with keen interest, as it would be nominating the party’s presidential candidate for the country’s top office, as President Hage Geingob will be serving his second and last term.
Swapo President, Hage Geingob is expected to officially open the Youth League meeting on Saturday at Parliament.
Ephraim Nekongo, the SPYL secretary confirmed that the event will be attended by Geingob, saying the central committee will be discussing various issues of national concern to the party and the youth wing.
He rejected claims that Geingob will be garnering for support from the youth league to run for another term for the Swapo Party presidency.
Nekongo said the outcomes of the central committee meeting will be shared with the media after the meeting.
“First and foremost, people need to understand that the president is the party president and is
entitled to address or engage with his party members, it is a right and responsibility bestowed upon him,’’ Nekongo said, suggesting that nothing sinister should be read into it.
He added that the SPYL central committee meeting is always opened by high profile party leader, saying the Grootfontein event was also opened by the Secretary General of the mother body, Sophia Shaningwa, and the last one by the vice president Nangolo Mbumba.
Political observers are eagerly awaiting the resolutions of the SPYL central committee, as this is expected to set the tone and the direction for its upcoming congress.
Ndumba Kamwenyah, a political analyst is anticipating a similar outcome as the Women’s Council meeting ahead of its congress, where the names of the candidates to contest the main leadership position were known.
Kamwenyah emphasized that depending on what is going to be on the table, the wing might put more emphasis on unity and youth participation in leadership and also set the tone for the upcoming mother body congress slated for later this year.
He further pointed out that, the official opening by a senior member of the party is also one way to look at it in terms of cementing unity and order in the party, given the factions that have of late unfolded.
