Swartbooi booted out

Swartbooi booted outHung Politburo session leads to high-level meeting Young firebrand Bernadus Swartbooi is said to have resigned after refusing to apologise for his comments when he publicly attacked Utoni Nujoma and his land-reform programme.


President Hage Geingob has told deputy lands minister Bernadus Swartbooi to resign, but allowed him to retain his seat in parliament and according to State House, they are awaiting the letter of resignation.
This followed after Swartbooi refused to apologise for accusing lands minister Utoni Nujoma of tribal preference in the resettlement programme two weeks ago at a meeting in Hoachanas in the south of the country.
According to sources close to the Swartbooi, he was summoned to State House yesterday afternoon where he was given his final ultimatum.
Namibian Sun understands the meeting was attended by Geingob, Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, Vice-President Nickey Iyambo, Presidential Affairs Minister Frans Kapofi and Attorney-General Sacky Shangala.
According to the sources the meeting did “not go well” and tensions ran high for the duration of the afternoon.
State House issued comment just before 19:00
Asked for his view, political analyst Nico Horn said it would be a really sad day if the president got rid of Swartbooi over an opinion that many people in the south felt was true.
According to Horn, Swartbooi is an asset to the country’s democracy and a brand of new politician who is very popular with the people on the ground.


“It will be very bad for the future of this country if the youth are sidelined. I personally thought after Job Amupanda was fired that Swartbooi filled that gap. I really hope this is not the last we hear of him,” said Horn.
Another social commentator, Graham Hopwood, felt that the president’s action was understandable.
According to Hopwood, Swartbooi raised a very important issue but unfortunately personalised it.
“It is not surprising then that the president would react this way, because he criticised his senior minister on a public platform and cabinet discipline states that you do not criticise your seniors,” said Hopwood.

Other commentators expect quite a fallout from this move, as Swartbooi has popular support since he stood up in parliament and condemned the construction of a new parliament building. During his tenure as governor of the //Karas Region, he also garnered popular support for his ‘people-first’ approach.

Swartbooi could not be reached for comment.