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Namibia: Verbal War Continues Between Swapo, RDP
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New Era (Windhoek)
15 May 2008
Posted to the web 15 May 2008
Kuvee Kangueehi
Windhoek
The verbal onslaught between the Swapo Party and the Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP), which erupted on Saturday after almost a physical confrontation between the two parties, continued yesterday with the Swapo Party deputy secretary general, Nangolo Mbumba, swinging another blow at RDP.
In the latest attack on the RDP, Mbumba said the incident on Saturday was stage-managed by RDP to seek publicity and sympathy and it was to create the impression that RDP was not free to carry out its political activities.
Mbumba said the impression is wrong, as the RDP has held several meetings in the country but none was ever disrupted.
"There is no doubt that the intention of the initiators was to both provoke and stir public emotions for purpose of media propaganda following the RDP's humiliating electoral defeat in Eenhana."
This is the second response of the Swapo Party regarding the incident on Saturday and Mbumba said the party consulted with the Namibian Police, regional leadership in the Khomas region and community members.
A clearly irritated Mbumba said the ruling party came to the conclusion that the sequence of events was a deliberate ploy by its initiators to rouse and anger the members of Tobias Hainyeko Constituency community who happen to be overwhelmingly Swapo Party members.
He said the party has established that the initiators of the public meeting had misled the community into believing that it was a municipal meeting while the said meeting turned out to be an RDP rally.
"To invite members of the public to an RDP rally disguised as a 'municipal meeting' is the highest form of provocation, which should neither be tolerated, nor encouraged."
He warned that in the Swapo Party they do not only deplore any form of violence but equally deplore any form of provocation.
"It is provocation that causes violence and we will never allow our members to be provoked by anybody and that must be clear."
Mbumba praised the police for the swift action and their efforts to avoid any incidence but was quick to question the wisdom behind granting permission for RDP to hold a political meeting in a residential area which is predominantly Swapo.
He said in granting that permission, the police should have applied their mind about the likely consequences stemming from that oversight. He advised the police that in future these factors should be taken into consideration before permission is granted.
Responding to the open letter which the RDP interim president, Hidipo Hamutenya, and interim secretary, Jesaya Nyamu, wrote to President Hifikepunye Pohamba regarding the incident on Saturday, Mbumba said it is the worst kind of hypocrisy as the duo never approved Pohamba to be president.
Mbumba said the two unelected leaders claimed that Pohamba was hand-picked by Nujoma and incapable of becoming the President of Namibia.
"They are writing a letter to the same Pohamba they did (not) approve of in the first place, this is the worst kind of hypocrisy."
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Mbumba said it must be clear that the Swapo Party, its president and entire leadership have no doubt about the discipline, loyalty of the members of Swapo Party throughout the 13 regions of the country.
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