GOBABIS: As the race to the Swapo congress slated for the end of the year heats up, top candidates vying for the party’s presidential seat have reportedly been pulling strings behind the scenes in an apparent bid to secure enough representation at the watershed event.

Although Swapo leaders have consistently denied any form of campaigning for the congress, Nampa has reliably learnt that such campaigns do exists, with many of them now taking place at the party’s regional structures.

As a result of such intense campaigning, party delegates running for positions during regional elective conferences have been the proverbial sacrificial lambs as the battle for representation intensifies.

Swapo Secretary General, Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana and party Vice President (VP) Dr. Hage Geingob – who have both declared interest in the party’s pole position, have reportedly been leading separate campaigns at regional levels to ensure that those that make it through the system would be one of theirs.

The Omaheke regional elective conference, which took place on Saturday, saw intense campaigning as it becomes clear who the respective supporters of the two candidates are.

Former acting Regional Coordinator for Omaheke, Job Muniaro is said to have lost out on a full-time appointment for the position due to his alleged allegiance to the party Secretary General, who according to sources do not enjoy a wide following in the region.

Kejamuina Mungendje, the man who won the regional coordinator contest is on the other hand reportedly closely linked to NUNW’s Evilastus Kaaronda and one time Omaheke Regional Coordinator, Festus Ueitele.

Both Ueitele and Kaaronda, who managed to mobilise most of Omaheke’s seven Swapo districts to rally behind Mungendje, are reportedly rooting for a Geingob presidency.

Party insiders alleged that the simmering tension, which at more than one occasion during the conference threatened its continuation, to be as a result of a clash of personalities between delegates representing the two Swapo heavy-weights.

Omaheke, according to sources at the conference, has been one of the undecided regions in terms of support for the two candidates, mainly due to the neutrality of many of the region’s influential party cadres.

The appointment of Muniaro as acting Regional Coordinator, after Ueitele was appointed a Member of Parliament (MP), received cold shoulders from many of the region’s districts. It was allegedly feared that Muniaro would not be pulling in the same direction with most of the Swapo districts that had been close to Ueitele.

It was such stark differences that had led to frequent confrontation between Muniaro and Ueitele over administration issues since Muniaro took office.

On Saturday however, Geingob’s camp appeared to have garnered more supporters on the list of delegates to the congress with Festus Ueitele, Phillipus Katamelo, Liberious Kalili and Bianca Van Wyk all making it onto the list.

The rest of the delegates to the congress are Maria Hoases, Gideon Kavari, Eben Handura, Frieda Shimakeleni, Abia Kamatjipose and Immanuel Kutonderumbi.

(edited)GOBABIS, 29 JUL (NAMPA) – As the race to the Swapo-Party congress heats up, top candidates vying for the party’s presidential seat have reportedly been pulling strings behind the scenes in an apparent bid to secure enough representation at the watershed event.

The congress is slated for the end of the year.

Although Swapo-Party leaders have consistently denied any form of campaigning for the congress, Nampa has reliably learnt that such campaigns do exists, with many now taking place at the party’s regional structures.

As a result of the intense campaigning, party delegates running for positions during regional elective conferences have been the proverbial sacrificial lambs as the battle for representation intensifies.

Swapo-Party Secretary-General Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana and the party’s Vice President, Dr Hage Geingob – who have both declared their interest in the party’s pole position – have reportedly been leading separate campaigns at regional level to ensure that those that make it through the system would be one of theirs.

The Omaheke regional elective conference, which took place on Saturday, saw intense campaigning as it becomes clear who the respective supporters of the two candidates are.

Former acting regional coordinator for Omaheke, Job Muniaro is said to have lost out on a full-time appointment for the position due to his alleged allegiance to the party Secretary-General, who according to sources does not enjoy a wide following in the region.

Kejamuina Mungendje, the man who won the regional coordinator contest, is on the other hand reportedly closely linked to the National Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW)’s Evilastus Kaaronda and one time Omaheke Regional Coordinator, Festus Ueitele.

Both Ueitele and Kaaronda, who managed to mobilise most of Omaheke’s seven Swapo-Party districts to rally behind Mungendje, are reportedly rooting for a Geingob presidency.

Party insiders alleged that the simmering tension, which at more than one occasion during the conference threatened its continuation, is the result of a clash of personalities between delegates representing the two Swapo heavy-weights.

Omaheke, according to sources at the conference, has been one of the undecided regions in terms of support for the two candidates, mainly due to the neutrality of many of the region’s influential party cadres.

The appointment of Muniaro as acting regional coordinator after Ueitele was appointed a Member of Parliament (MP) was not received well in many of the region’s districts. It was allegedly feared that Muniaro would not pull in the same direction as most of the Swapo-Party districts that had been close to Ueitele.

It was such stark differences that had led to frequent confrontation between Muniaro and Ueitele over administration issues since Muniaro took office.

On Saturday however, Geingob’s camp appeared to have garnered more supporters on the list of delegates to the congress with Festus Ueitele, Phillipus Katamelo, Liberious Kalili and Bianca van Wyk all making it onto the list.

The rest of the delegates to the congress are Maria Hoases, Gideon Kavari, Eben Handura, Frieda Shimakeleni, Abia Kamatjipose and Immanuel Kutonderumbi.