Shanghala warns Swapo

Shanghala warns Swapo• Tells party to stop choosing loyalty over competence A submission compiled from behind bars by one of its blue-eyed boys, who remains a central committee member, cautions the ruling party against practices that would accelerate its demise in an ever-evolving political climate. MATHIAS HAUFIKU and

JEMIMA BEUKES

WINDHOEK



Swapo Politburo member Sakeus Shanghala says the ruling party's current political programme is outdated and not comprehensive by design, cautioning the party to change or risk becoming irrelevant in future.

He also said sloganeering and attempts to remain relevant with social media campaigns, has not served the party well in recent years adding that decisive leadership is needed to ensure that party members pull in the same direction and that competence must be the primary factor when it comes to appointing leaders instead of loyalty.

The information is contained in a 31-page document titled 'A Modern Economic, Social and Political Program -Namibian Socialism' dated March 2021, which Shanghala wrote from prison as he awaits trial in the Fishrot court case.

He also said the party needs to dynamite its existence in the structures and appoint capable leaders.





“Regional offices and the headquarters must be manned by competent cadres. Internal elections must produce competent cadres. If it is time for a quota system, so be it but Swapo Party can no longer equate loyalty to competence and in so doing deploy such cadres to government structures be they local, regional or national,” he said.

According to Shanghala, there is a need for Swapo to adopt a modern economic, social and political programme because the 1991 political party programme does not suffice to meet the demands of the day.

“The first congress of 1991 expected and directed a recalibration of economic ideology.

This never happened. As such, the rank and file, even after a generation of born- free Namibians, continues to imbibe political rhetoric which is way past its 'sell by date' in this day and age.

We seem to be prisoners to an ideological past and such mindset manifests itself in conduct,” he said.

Flawed socialism

When Swapo amended its constitution in 2018, a definition of socialism as well as of socialism with Namibian characteristics was introduced.

He says crafting socialism with Namibian characteristics will require transformative, realistic thinking that can eschew private business bashing by Swapo and government leaders.

According to Shanghala, who was amongst the delegates that pushed through the amendments, the inclusions seem to depart from a position which assumes that the type of socialism defined is obtainable in the context of Namibia's existing economic structure.

“This is not possible, it might not be legal, although the freedoms of thought, expression and association protect Swapo Party's position. The only conceivable choices being, Swapo Party as the ruling party can either amend the Namibian Constitution to conform with its party constitution or continue to exist with an ideology it cannot implement,” he said.

Shanghala is also one of those who feel that the ruling party's definition of socialism clashes with the Namibian Constitution's notion of a mixed economy in which private and public or joint public-private ownership interact in the economy.

He is however worried that the mixed economy activities in the country are partly to blame for the inequalities that exists in the country.

Shanghala said the status quo creates disparities that are made worse by the underlying faults in the economy such as the lack of articulated and resourced economic ideologies.



Marginal resources

The former minister also challenged assertions that Namibia is endowed with natural resources.

“The Party also needs to emancipate itself from its trapped existence in the notion that Namibia's resources are significant when they are but marginal, he said. Shanghala says there is an illusion and disconnect between ideology and reality when the positioning of Namibia's natural resources in the global market is considered.

“These issues are plain and simple: the pressing and urgent need to craft a political, social and economic program with realizable social development targets, eschewing trophy projects such as the Neckartal Dam, whose return on investments will not be immediate,” he said.

Shanghala and five other co-accused are currently in jail facing charges ranging from money laundering, fraud and tax evasion after they allegedly exploited the country's fisheries resources for personal gain at the expense of government.

A chunk of the fishrot proceeds is said to have been used to fund the ruling party's political activities such as the 2017 congress that saw party president Hage Geingob being elected to serve for a second term.

The party's Secretary-General Sophia Shaningwa said she has no knowledge of the document and so it becomes very difficult to comment on it. Asked whether she would like to have a copy to read through, she responded: “just because you want answer? [and]which strategy?”

Asked what she makes of Shanghala's observation, she said: “No, it is my Saturday today, please. I always caution you if you want comments from me it must be something serious like death but issues like that, can't you just give me time until time. It is really disrespectful sometimes to ask me about the books I never read.”