NSHR

NSHR once more strongly condemns the ominous signs of anarchy and spiraling breakdown of law and order which once against manifested themselves in and or near the “One Nation” section of Windhoek’s Katutura suburb yesterday.

A small group of Swapo Party supporters, initially consisting of between 10 and 15 toy-toying women, men and children, defied repeated and courteous Police instructions to clear an area where a rival party, Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP), was to hold a pre-scheduled election rally later on yesterday. An affluent and neatly dressed woman, clad in Swapo Party colors plus at least two (2) men brandishing large Swapo Party flags, led the vocal group of impoverished-looking women, children and men. At least two (2) women members of the group carried small children on their backs as they toy-toyed and hurled insults at a Police team numbering approximately 100 uniformed and riot officers. Chief Inspector Andreas Nelumbu of the Wanaheda Police precinct led the Police team.

At approximately 14h00, after all other attempts to persuade the obstructive group failed, the Police finally dislodged the toy-toying group. However, this became only possible after riot Police officers hurled at least three (3) blue-smoke canisters on the ground. Prior to the hurling of pepper gas canisters, Police arrested at least three (3) males who were part of the toy-toying group.

At approximately 15h15 between 70 and 100 RDP supporters, some of them traveling in approximately 15 vehicles while others footed, entered the now-cleared venue of their rally. At this stage a larger group of equally between 70 and 100 Swapo Party supporters gathered within a few meters along a street just north of the venue where the RDP group now has assembled.

Some of the members of this boisterous group of Swapo Party supporters also provoked the Police by shouting obscene epithets and hurling other hateful insults at them. “We are Nujoma’s soldiers and these Kwanyamas must go back to Angola”, were some of the numerous racist epithets hurled. Among others, Swapo Party Regional Councilor for the Moses Garoeb Constituency Helena Andreas and Swapo Party mouth-piece and Namibia Today Editor Asser Ntinda as well as Swapo Party Youth League Secretary Elijah Ngurare led the highly provocative Swapo Party supporters. Khomas Region Governor Sophia Shaningwa and Swapo Party Elders’ Council member Immanuel Muatara were also present among their obstructive protesters.

Human rights monitors also overhead as some of these Swapo Party leaders were encouraging their supporters to confront the Police and to “stay put” and “never allow RDP to hold their meeting here”. Swapo Party supporters claimed that the area was a “no go area” to RDP as “this is our turf”.

“This riotous conduct, on the part of certain, not all, members of the ruling Swapo Party, is not at all a spontaneous one. One must not look elsewhere for an answer. This behavior is part of the clearer and more ominous manifestations of what has been happening in this country since the fateful meeting Swapo Party Poliburo on April 3-4 2004, said NSHR executive director Phil ya Nangoloh.

At that meeting former Namibian President Sam Nujoma was forced to step down and thereby he was precluded from running for a fourth term of office contrary to the provisions of the Namibian Constitution.
“Therefore, what is seen now are clear manifestations of the deep-rooted schisms within the ruling Swapo Party dating back to the April 2004 palace revolution. These riotous behaviors by conservative and opportunistic Swapo Party members are reflective of the fact that clearly there are now two rival factions with the ruling party. One faction, which is behind these behaviors, consists of a Third Force by Swapo Party-ists led by former Namibian President Sam Nujoma. The Third Force faction is hard at work apparently in order to ensure that the country becomes ungovernable supposedly because of the ineptitude and incompetence on the part of President Lucas Hifikepunye Pohamba and Prime Minister Nahas Angula to maintain ‘peace and tranquility’ which supposedly existed during Nujoma’s rule. Hence, there is no doubt in my view that former President Nujoma is the invisible driving force behind the Party-ist and Third Force faction”, said ya Nangoloh.

NSHR is calling upon the people of Namibia to wake up and realize these dangerous machinations by the former President.

“Hence, as long as former President Nujoma is allowed to implicitly or explicitly involve himself in active party-politics at the expense of taxpayers money, there would be no peace and stability in this country, let alone the much-talked about socio-economic development”, ya Nangoloh concluded.

In case of additional comment, please call Dorkas Phillemon or Phil ya Nangoloh at Tel: 061 236 183 or 061 253 447 (office hours) or Cell: +264 811 299 641 (Dorkas) or E-mail: nshr@nshr.org.na or visit: www.nshr.org.na