Zorena Jantze & Samuel Shinedima
THE Secretary General of the Swapo Party, Sophia Shaningwa, today officially handed in the registration of President Hage Gaingob as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2019 elections as well as the party’s list of cadre’s which will contest for seats in the National Assembly.
Shaningwa said that President Geingob’s name was already registered on 1 October and that the party has followed all requirement mandated by the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN).
Shaningwa further stated that the party in cognisant of the recent instructions by the ECN which has told politicians employed in public service to step if they desire to compete in the National Assembly elections. A move from the ECN which will ensure politicians comply with Article 47, Section 1 (e) and (f) of the constitution which prohibits people who serve in public service and those who are members of the National Council, Regional Council or members of a local authority to be elected for a seat in the National Assembly.
Handing in the party’s list of National Assembly candidates, Shaningwa indicated that out of 96 SWAPO candidates, 17 cadres were affected by Article 47 of the constitution. She added that out of the 17, a total of 16 opted to quit their current government posts and to stay on the party list, whilst one cadre, Fransina Kahungu, opted to resign from the SWAPO list, to keep her public service post as City of Windhoek Councillor.
