Swanu presidential claimant Charles Katjivirue says the party is not for sale and needs to be liberated by those masquerading as its legitimate leaders in order to realise the party’s wishes and aspirations.
Katjivirue made these remarks at a press conference in the capital on Wednesday, where he painted a bleak picture of the party under the stewardship of Tangeni Iijambo, who also represents the party in the National Assembly.
Branding Iijambo as former Swanu president, Katjivirue said the party has veered from its original objectives and is a shadow of its former self.
“We wish to state loud, bold and clear that these comrades, despite being Swanu members, are not politically fit at this stage to lead the party… We will not allow shaky characters to run Swanu,” he said.
Katjivirue maintained he was duly elected as Swanu president in August 2021. His election was never disputed in any court of law, he said.
“He [Iijambo] is an ordinary member of Swanu and Member of Parliament,” Katjivirue noted, adding that plans are in motion to have the lawmaker recalled from Parliament.
Swanu, under Iijambo, is slated to convene an intraparty conference later this month, Nampa has established.
Katjivirue and his faction are opposed to this.
“It is therefore myopic on the part of Dr Tangeni Iijambo and Evalistus Kaaronda to convene a national congress while the legitimacy of Charles Katjivirue’s leadership or lack thereof is a subject matter of the High Court,” he said.
Meanwhile, Iijambo brushed Katjivirue’s claims aside, describing the group as a “bunch of tribalists” who want to destabilise the party.
“These guys are not even a structure. It is just a bunch of tribalists,” he said.
Iijambo added that Katjivirue initially formed part of his political bureau (PB) before turning against him.
“They were members of my PB. All along, they have just been undermining my leadership. Backstabbing. They were even working hard for the party not to retain a seat in the National Assembly,” Iijambo recounted.
He remains unshaken, saying the electoral congress will go ahead as planned.
“Our congress is coming at the end of this month,” Iijambo said.
Source: The Namibian Press Agency
