Omaheke four want congress postponed

Omaheke four want congress postponed The chaos at the Swapo Omaheke elective district conferences was echoed in the High Court in Windhoek on Monday with calls to postpone the party congress, set to start tomorrow, pending the finalisation of the urgent application currently in court.

Tuhafeni Muhongo, appearing on instructions of Kadhila Amoomo Inc. for the applicants, Kejamuina Uhungira Mungendje, Maleagi Ndisiro, Frans Murangi and Progarius Muriambihu, argued that though the suggestion is not in the notice of motion, it is in the discretion of the court to postpone the congress. He argued the court must give the 80 respondents some time to deliver their responding papers before Thursday.

“It is not an afterthought, but a point of law. In order not to have the respondents prejudiced it is for the court to exercise its discretion to postpone the congress,” Muhongo argued.

However, Deputy Judge President Hosea Angula emphasised he cannot postpone the Swapo congress unless there are reasons presented.

“Currently I do not have the basis to order for a postponement,” Angula said and only granted for the postponement of the proceedings to today in order to give a chance to the respondents to file their papers.

The respondents were expected to file their papers by midday yesterday.

“Currently I do not have the basis to order for a postponement,” Angula said and only granted for the postponement of the proceedings to today in order to give a chance to the respondents to file their papers.

The respondents were expected to file their papers by midday yesterday.

The applicants in the matter, all prominent Swapo members in the Omaheke Region, are seeking, on an urgent basis, an order declaring the party's electoral process in the region null and void.

The electoral processes affected include district conferences for Aminius, Kalahari, Okokurambe, Otjinene and the Omaheke Regional conference, together with the Politburo endorsement.

The applicants want an order interdicting 57 of the respondents from attending the Swapo congress starting on Thursday.

The application is opposed by Festus Ueitele, the governor of Omaheke, Ernst Ndjavera, Asaria Tjingaete, Bernhardt Esau, Christine //Hoebes, Erastus Uutoni, Phillipus Katamelo, the Swapo Party Elders' Council, the party's women's council and other 74 members of the party. The electoral conferences of the affected districts were completed on 11 September.

The applicants are dissatisfied with the manner in which the processes were conducted.

They say they were not afforded the ethos of free, fair, transparent and credible electoral processes as per the party's resolutions, its constitution and its rules and procedures for the election of office bearers and representatives at legislative and government levels. They laid a complaint. In reaction the party directed that its' regional executive committee of Omaheke Region and the Politburo investigate. The complainants were informed on 11 October that the Politburo resolved to endorse the Omaheke regional processes.

Arguments are expected to be heard today.



FRED GOEIEMAN