Ngurare Survives

Toivo Ndjebela

26 May 2011

Windhoek — A last-minute attempt to suspend Swapo Party Youth League (SPYL) Secretary Dr Elijah Ngurare failed early Tuesday morning due to what sources described as general lack of support for the drastic move.

Ngurare faced the odds going into Monday’s SPYL central committee meeting, amidst speculation that a section of the youth league wanted to suspend him this week.

And true to that expectation, a motion was tabled in the wee hours of Tuesday for Ngurare’s suspension, but this attempt could not see the light of day due to lack of support.

At a media conference on Tuesday afternoon, Ngurare was diplomatic when commenting on the matter.

“Our meeting was held to address the issues of unity, development and youth empowerment,” he responded when asked to confirm the move to suspend him.

New Era understands that when the meeting kicked off at 10h00 on Monday, it was revealed that a group of youth league members had met at Maerua Mall and at a popular Katutura traditional restaurant, where strategies were formulated to suspend Ngurare.

Those said to be behind the move allegedly denied knowledge of the plan, but their motives later came to the fore when, at around 04h00 on Tuesday, a motion was tabled to suspend Ngurare.

Due to lack of support though, this attempt died in its infancy, to the delight of Ngurare and his camp.

While the reasons for baying for Ngurare’s blood are shrouded in secrecy, New Era can reveal that his criticism of the recent sacking of former chief of defence force Martin Shalli, was mentioned as reason.

Ngurare’s submission of a report to the Swapo Central Committee last September in which he requested the party’s leaders to “face each other and address” the succession issue also seems to have smoked some of his SPYL colleagues out of their comfort zones.

Ngurare argued in his report that an open debate over succession would accommodate “divergent views” that many party leaders might have regarding succession in leadership.

Ngurare and Swapo regional coordinator for Oshikoto, Armas Amukwiyu had a fall out prior to the meeting, but the pair appeared to have smoked a peace pipe, or so it seemed, during the press conference.

Both Amukwiyu and Ngurare played down talk that they have been baying for each other’s blood, instead asking the media to concentrate on the general outcome of the meeting.

The central committee meeting this week resolved to lift the suspension of SPYL deputy secretary Jutta Shikomba as well as the suspensions of Hardap Region’s Jan Johannes Herero, Simon Dukuleni and Adrian Beukes.

The youth league also assigned a team comprising Alec Boois, Neville Andre and John Kantana to engage various youth groups in the country that are currently involved in infighting and disunity antics.

The SPYL also took a drastic move to ask government to repossess mining licences of copper mining companies that have closed local mines and have not yet reopened them.

“The CC called on these foreign owners to surrender such licences to government to enable Namibians to reopen and operate the mines for job creation and national interest and security of the country,” an SPLY statement reads.

The youth league decided against pronouncing itself on the leadership succession in Swapo, saying this is in line with Swapo’s recent decision that the succession race should not be discussed publicly.

“The youth league will be guided by the leadership of the Swapo party on succession and will only in such good time issue pronouncement in this regard,” the SPYL says.

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