Neka’s factional fights explode

The Namibia Exile Kids Association (Neka) is desperate to calm internal divisions that are threatening to disrupt unity within the association as factions engage in a bitter fight over who its legitimate leaders are.

Its last executive meeting ended in an expression of support for newly-elected president Kadiva Hamutumwa and her executive, but the reality is that the association’s factions are now unofficially at war.

While Hamutumwa has preached unity and vowed to work with her predecessors, the association’s former secretary-general Mao Angula has denounced the new leadership, saying it got there illegally.

Angula maintains that he is still the top administrator of the association. He contested against three other candidates for the vice-president position, formerly held by Hamutumwa, emerging with only two of 129 votes.

Angula shocked all and sundry when he stated that Hamutumwa had no constitutional authority to chair the meetings that resolved to hold the elections at the association’s congress last month after then-president Rauna Amutati dissolved the proceedings.

“Whatever meeting/proceedings she chaired was unconstitutional and any outcome thereafter is unprocedural and illegal, rendering what transpired after the [annual general meeting] closure null and void. Whatever they [Hamutumwa and co] are purporting to have ensured at their elective congress should not be entertained,” Angula said.

He further claimed that the previous leadership - which ran the association before the elective indaba took place in Otjiwarongo - will be retained until the next annual general meeting.

Disheartening

“For the first time in Neka history, tribalism and insults were visible and freely pronounced,” Angula said.

According to him, the current factional battles within the association have been caused by differences in political ideologies and beliefs amongst ‘exile kids’.

He also questioned Neka’s decision to ignore advice from Swapo Party secretary-general Sophia Shaningwa to halt the election process in order to address the infighting.

“It is very sad and disheartening to see a leader [Hamutumwa] who holds the title of vice-president of an association blatantly refusing to attend meetings or heed simple advice from her leaders and also the mother body that an association like Neka aspires to affiliate to.

“As a Neka vice-president, who else does she want to work with if not the mother body?” he wanted to know.

Walked out

Following the meeting where Hamutumwa emerged victorious, defeating then-president Amutati by 125 votes to four, the latter publicly pronounced that she does not recognise the validity of Hamutumwa’s election. She said they will consult lawyers to examine its legality.

Amutati explained that, as president of the organisation, she dissolved the meeting only to later learn that elections had taken place and a new president had been elected. Amutati and Angula had walked out of the meeting.

“I ended the congress without the elections. There is a certain group that decided to go ahead. I walked out and decided to call off [the] elections. Only to hear elections were done,” she said.

Meanwhile, on the Evening Review show on Tuesday, Hamutumwa spoke highly of Amutati and described their relationship as “cordial”.

“We remain leaders of Neka and that is a part of the history of the association that will not be taken away. We still recognise her [Amutati] and we will work with her and give her assignments when needed,” Hamutumwa said.