The National Unity Democratic Organisation Youth League (NUDOYL) is set to hold its elective congress on Saturday, and one message is outlined: ‘Quality must prevail over tribe’.
Veparura Kandirikirira, when speaking to Nampa ahead of the Saturday convention, said the Ovaherero-dominated party must be nationalised.
This, he said, can be achieved by electing candidates in leadership positions based on meritocracy.
“We must stop electing only Ovaherero or people from Okakarara, Otjinene, Amunuis, Otjinene or Ovitoto. We must nationalise the party,” he said.
Since taking charge in 2016, Kandirikirira made it his mission to demystify the largely held perception that Nudo is a tribal political party.
Delegates are drawn from the Omusati, Ohangwena, Kavango West, Zambezi, ||Kharas, Hardap, Otjozondjupa, Khomas, Omaheke, Erongo and Kunene regions.
It will be the first elective congress since 2013.
Around 118 delegates are expected to decide NUDOYL’s fate for the next five years.
The delegates will start arriving from across Namibia on Friday, Kandirikirira confirmed.
During the three-day assembly, the acting secretary will present a 10-year dossier on the youth wing’s activities.
A draft action plan will also be tabled for discussion, amendment and endorsement.
Positions of a national chairperson, deputy chairperson, secretary-general, deputy secretary-general, treasurer, deputy treasurer, organiser and deputy organiser will be up for grabs.
A new position in the form of head of policies, innovation and enterprises has also been proposed.
“This position is being created so that someone will be responsible for our action plan,” he said.
Nominations for positions will be made from the floor, while slates have been shunned in the run-up to the event.
Asked whether he will contest for a position, Kandirikirira played his cards close to his chest.
“When the nomination process starts and I am nominated, I am willing to serve in any portfolio. I am still young and eager to serve young people in this country,” he said.
In addition, 20 other individuals will be elected. Together with the NUDOYL Top 9, they will form the central committee, 10 of whom will be a part of the national executive committee.
If enacted, the draft document will act as a guide to NUDOYL’s position on key issues such as education, health and the economy.
“We don’t want to operate in a vacuum. The mother body must know where the youth stands. Elected people must be given a mandate,” he said.
The 26-year-old also reflected on his tenure.
He rued lack of resources as one of his office’s chief challenges.
“Most of our time was also spent on really establishing ourselves as a youth league within the party, to even be considered for a budgetary allocation,” he said.
Source: The Namibian Press Agency
