The Swapo Party is back in the political trenches, preparing to reclaim its dominant support since independence after losing its two-thirds majority in the 2019 elections.
Social media platforms and keyboard mercenaries who use AI for their campaigns will also be severely tested, as most delegates from outside Windhoek don’t rely on technology for political choices.
In the rural and outlying areas, Swapo still has a huge loyalty and traditional power base, often neglected by politicians who might be punished by delegates for not staying in touch.
In the 2017 battle for the presidency, two camps, Team Swapo and Team Harambee, faced off, allowing first-time participants like the NEFF, LPM, and Christian Voice to win National Assembly seats in 2019. This also mainly contributed to the PDM and RP increasing their seats, largely through a protest vote in the absence of the IPC, with its president only challenging Dr Geingob as an independent candidate from within Swapo.
Efforts by leaders of Team Swapo, like a constitutional writer and one-time close ally of Geingob, me. Pendukeni Ithana, to dispel the perception of Team Swapo as a permanent political threat within the party were unsuccessful. The Trojan horse strategy used to settle with stalwarts like Jerry Ekandjo openly challenged the idea of a female candidate as Namibian president since.
Swapo now stands accused by a small group of members of contravening the party’s constitution with the selection of mee. Nandi-Ndaitwah, and they are pursuing court actions, which the party rejects.
The party, which for the first time is under financial stress, will rely heavily on donations from a gala dinner, for which all seats were sold out earlier in the week by potential donors. Millions are expected to be raised.
The congress will see the historic return of one of Namibia’s political pioneers, mee. Pendukeni Ithana, leading the charge to finally dismantle the Trojan horse of division created by the Team Swapo and Team Harambee factions.
Mee. Ithana’s re-entry into the Namibian political scene is particularly significant, as she was overlooked by her lifelong political mentor and one time close friend, the late Dr Hage Geingob, for nomination to the National Assembly, unlike his serial challenger, Jerry Ekandjo, who was retained.
Efforts by mee. Ithana and Dr Geingob to reconcile their differences tragically failed, as Dr Geingob passed away before various interventions to bring the two lifelong friends together to clear the air, ultimately failed and were overtaken by fate.
Swapo delegates arriving in Windhoek said their aim is not only to elect parliamentary candidates but also to solidify Swapo’s support base and rebuild the legendary unity and loyalty that the party’s support bases are known for.
They point out that the Heroes’ Day celebrations at Omuthiya barely two weeks ago were an indication that Swapo is regrouping, as the Minister of Defence, Frans Kapofi, introduced Namibia’s Vice President, Dr Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, and extended a special welcome to Swapo stalwarts mee. Ithana and Nahas Angula. President Nangolo Mbumba also paid homage to Helmuth Angula, the three who was suspected to be the main force of the Team Swapo election campaign against Dr Geingob’s Team Harambee.
Although disgruntled members might challenge the outcome of the congress, and at least ten Namibians will hope to be Nandi-Ndaitwah appointees, the mood of veteran leaders and delegates are cautiously optimistic that the healing process can start under the first female presidential candidate of the party.
“In Swapo, we have now rallied behind our candidate, and that will not change because mee. Nandi-Ndaitwah is a symbol of hope for continued unity and peace for most Namibians, including opposition supporters who are now spectators of bloody political factions in most, if not all, opposition parties themselves as they also jostle for seats.”