EDITORIAL: No democracy in opposition
The juxtapositions between Swapo and the opposition are often limited to their ideologies and plans for the country, which leaves swathes of other territories unchartered.
What is hardly compared are the internal democratic processes and systems between the ruling party and the opposition. On paper, Swapo has a solid constitution and vibrant rules and regulations. The only problem is that this body of law is not religiously adhered to. These good fundamentals of the party have been trampled upon willy-nilly, depending on who is in the driving seat.
In the opposition, it’s every man for himself and God for us all. In Nudo, for example, the current leadership has illegally overstayed its welcome – refusing to vacate offices, or even hold an elective congress.
The less said about NEFF’s internal democratic machinery, the better. Two macho men, from villages across each other, have created a fiefdom that is not answerable to anyone but themselves. No congress and no woman leaders in its echelons. Meanwhile, in Swanu, whoever arrives at the meeting venue first is the president – screw everyone else!
In Affirmative Repositioning, Job Amupanda is president, deputy president and any other political title in the book. Alpha and omega – the beginning and the end. The fact that he doesn’t occupy both of ‘his’ movement’s positions at the City of Windhoek is a miracle.
At IPC, Panduleni Itula is called ‘first among equals’. Poetic and telling. Party members recently voted for the parliamentary candidates and went home. No one knows what played out when everyone disappeared into the night.
PDM held its electoral college on Saturday and results came out on Tuesday. What was cooking for days in that pot?
What is hardly compared are the internal democratic processes and systems between the ruling party and the opposition. On paper, Swapo has a solid constitution and vibrant rules and regulations. The only problem is that this body of law is not religiously adhered to. These good fundamentals of the party have been trampled upon willy-nilly, depending on who is in the driving seat.
In the opposition, it’s every man for himself and God for us all. In Nudo, for example, the current leadership has illegally overstayed its welcome – refusing to vacate offices, or even hold an elective congress.
The less said about NEFF’s internal democratic machinery, the better. Two macho men, from villages across each other, have created a fiefdom that is not answerable to anyone but themselves. No congress and no woman leaders in its echelons. Meanwhile, in Swanu, whoever arrives at the meeting venue first is the president – screw everyone else!
In Affirmative Repositioning, Job Amupanda is president, deputy president and any other political title in the book. Alpha and omega – the beginning and the end. The fact that he doesn’t occupy both of ‘his’ movement’s positions at the City of Windhoek is a miracle.
At IPC, Panduleni Itula is called ‘first among equals’. Poetic and telling. Party members recently voted for the parliamentary candidates and went home. No one knows what played out when everyone disappeared into the night.
PDM held its electoral college on Saturday and results came out on Tuesday. What was cooking for days in that pot?
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Namibian Sun
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