Wakudumo claims no-confidence vote ‘unprocedural’
RUNDU - Swapo’s regional mobilisation officer in the Kavango East region Bonifatius Wakudumo has said the vote of no confidence passed against him and regional coordinator, Ottilie Shiduvi, by the regional executive committee (REC) on Sunday was unprocedural.
Wakudumo, who was also appointed as the regional governor, has been accused of spearheading tribalism, factionalism, regionalism and allegedly violating the party’s constitution. In a lengthy submission to the Swapo leaders assigned to the region, the duo is also accused of interfering in elections at grassroots level and imposing their preferred candidates onto various structures.
“The regional coordinator and the governor have been campaigning secretly to promote their preferred regional council candidates,” the submission read. The duo, who called a media conference on Tuesday, said a decision of this nature is taken by a simple majority, which they said was not the case on Sunday.
Wakudumo said members of the REC must be co-signatories to the vote of no confidence and shall then have the power to recommend to the
political bureau the suspension of any member of the party.
The REC comprises of Shinduvi, Wakudumo, the regional treasurer, all district coordinators, all district information and mobilisation officers and two delegates from each party wing. “It should be noted that the meeting that took place on Sunday was a special joint meeting of the REC and the national leaders assigned to the region,” Wakudumo noted.
He explained that the purpose of the meeting was to deal with nominations of candidates for the upcoming local and regional elections in November, thus the meeting does not have the mandate to take any resolutions. The regional information and mobilisation officer said the allegations made against them are personal vendettas and are riddled with untruths and slander.
“Members should be reminded that the Swapo Party is not someone’s personal club but an organisation and family that need to be followed by all without fear or favour,” he stated.
Wakudumo further stressed that the platform for passing the vote of no confidence was not the right one and that the procedure adopted altogether was wrong. A member of the REC who wanted to remain anonymous due to possible victimisation said the vote of no confidence was procedural.
He quoted article 40 of the new Swapo Party constitution, which states that the regional coordinator, regional information and mobilisation officers as well as the regional treasurer can be suspended by the REC by resolution supported by two thirds of its members.
“The only thing missing was for the vote of no confidence to get two thirds majority support of the REC,” he said.
– Nampa