A fierce power struggle to run the National Youth Council (NYC) is currently playing out as the entity is set to hold its General Assembly this coming Friday.
The nomination process to put in place an executive chairperson has been riddled with accusations of unfairness and corruption from those contesting.
The line minister, Agnes Tjongarero, has been roped in for urgent intervention.
Calls made to her mobile phone went unanswered.
At the centre of the contest is social development advocate, Ndahafa Hapulile, who is clashing horns with Sharonice Busch, a State House employee who brushes shoulders with Presidential press secretary, Dr Alfredo Hengari.
Hapulile has accused those handling the nomination process of seeking to boot her out of the race unprocedural.
Sources who spoke to Eagle FM submitted that those handling the nomination process, among them Pankratuis Kavura, are favouring Busch.
Eagle FM has been furnished with texts which implicate Kavura, seemingly exposing his inclination towards Busch.
Calls made to her mobile phone went unanswered.
Some of the texts said that Kavura would not allow Hapulile to run for the position as she was not leadership material.
Another strong suspicion is that Busch is being propped up so that she can have a smooth exit from State House, where the president is running his final term.
In the meantime, Hapulile has told the minister that she was nominated as a candidate for the position of Executive Chairperson of the National Youth Council.
According to her letter to Tjongarero dated 30 November 2020, seen by Eagle FM, the guidelines require a person to be nominated by youth forums or affiliates and endorsed by seven Youth Forums or Affiliates.
“I have met all the requirements as stipulated in the National Youth Council Act and the General Assembly Elections Guidelines, where I submitted on Friday, 20 November 2020, my nominations by two (2) and endorsements by ten (10) Affiliated Organisation and Youth Forums.
“To my surprise, I received a letter from the Acting Director dated 26 November 2020, informing me that I did not meet the requirement, citing that the same organisations that nominated me also endorsed me; and that I only received 5 endorsements.
This is despite the fact that I have attached the consent letter as required by section 10.3 of the General Assembly guidelines where I have indicated the nominations and endorsement as accepted, respectively and also attached the forms/ letters accordingly,” she says.
As the general assembly is set to roll to life this Friday until next Tuesday, Hapulile has submitted that she feels “maltreated and deliberately sidelined in this matter”.
Those sympathising with her have expressed a desire to bring the matter to the attention of the President who is expected to attend the GA, should she get blocked from contesting the position.
Another stumbling block for Hapulile has been a slew of allegations of corruption, fraud and misuse of public funds levelled against her and reported to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
Eagle FM has seen a letter to Hapulile penned by ACC Director-General, Paulus Noa dated 30 November 2020 where he informs her that the case has since been closed.
