The Swapo central committee on Friday took the decision not to allow party stalwart Jerry Ekandjo to participate as candidate for the much-anticipated vice president position race, slated for culmination next month.

The decision comes after the committee convened on Friday to discuss whether to include Ekandjo in the race, following his threat to take legal action against Swapo over his exclusion from the list of candidates for the party’s vice presidency at the elective congress taking place next month.

The decision was confirmed to Nampa by a senior member of the party, immediately after the party adjourned the meeting that decided Ekandjo’s fate.

The member who attended the meeting asked not to be named.

Opening the meeting here, where the media was allowed before the closed session, party president Hage Geingob said Swapo remains united as the three vetted candidates conduct their campaigns countrywide.

The candidates are Deputy Prime Minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila and Minister of Environment, Forestry and Tourism Pohamba Shifeta.

“Swapo members are together, going all around the regions in unity and enemies are disappointed [because] they want people to box (fight),” the party and country president noted.

Geingob said the candidates have been going through Swapo internal processes, including presentations to party delegates who will vote at the party’s elective congress later this year. So far, these have been done in seven out of the 14 regions.

The Swapo vice presidential candidates are currently touring the country as part of their internal campaigning.

Over 700 delegates are expected to convene for the envisioned congress in Windhoek next month to vote for the vice president of Swapo, who will then run as presidential candidate for the party in the 2024 national elections.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency