Staff Reporter
THE long-awaited election for the SWAPO Vice-President will take place on Sunday, which will ultimately determine the party’s candidate for the 2024 Presidential Elections.
Countless SWAPO delegates from all regions of the country have therefore convened in the capital for the 7th SWAPO Party Congress to vote for the party’s next vice-president. The congress is being held under the theme “SWAPO Party United and Marching Towards Socio-economic Development for All Namibians”.
The delegates will vote between Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila and Pohamba Shifeta for the SWAPO Vice-President position. This election, President Hage Geingob emphasised, will be a historic election, regardless of the outcome.
“For the first time in our history, our future president will likely be a woman should one of the two female comrades win. Also, should the male candidate win, we will have for the first time in the history of the SWAPO Party and Namibia a potential future president who was never in exile,” Geingob said.
He added that the historic nature of the election shows that SWAPO has been proactive in making history and they have set a number of benchmarks for others to follow.
Geingob said that the election represents a great chapter in the history of the party and the country. He also urged the candidates to accept the outcome of the election and to support whoever wins.
“If you are committed to a cause, removal or so on does not destroy you if you believe in it – unless you’re a hypocrite, hanging for positions only, but not to serve people in the party,” he said.
While the election will only take place on Sunday, the 7th SWAPO Party Congress started on Friday. So far, the congress discussed the report of the Central Committee as well as government’s report on the implementation of the resolutions that were adopted at the 6th SWAPO Party Congress.
On Saturday, congress will focus on the constitutional alignment of the SWAPO Party Elders’ Council (SPEC), the SWAPO Party Women’s Council (SPWC) and the SWAPO Party Youth League (SPYL). This will be followed by the elections on Sunday, which will be presided over by Legal Practitioner Joshua Kaumbi.
Sunday’s elections will not only determine the new party vice-president, but also the party’s secretary general and deputy secretary general. Sophia Shaningwa will defend her position as Secretary General against Armas Amukwiyu, while Uahekua Herunga, David Hamutenya and Evelyn !Nawases-Taeyele will battle it out for the Deputy Secretary General position.
