By: Hertha Ekandjo and Annakleta Haikera
Swapo’s regional coordinator in Kavango East, Ottilie Shiduvi, who is accused of nepotism and tribalism in the Mashare constituency, says that the accusations are unfounded.
Shiduvi was responding to accusations made by Swapo members in her region on Thursday amidst a protest planned for next week, 24 May, by the region’s former coordinator Marceline Kahare.
According to poster details, the planned demonstration is for “nepotism, tribalism, and poor service delivery against the regional governor Bonifatius Wakudumo and regional coordinator (Shiduvi).”
Sources who are part of the protest claimed that Shiduvi and Wakudumo violated the party’s constitution and are causing division within the region.
Shinduvi was elected as the party’s regional coordinator at a
regional conference in 2017, replacing Kahare, who had been the coordinator since 2015.
Shinduvi dismissed the allegations that she was tribalist.
“My father is from another tribe, and my mother is from a different tribe. I am mixed. So how can I be tribalist even in some cultures I am seen as a coloured?” Shiduvi told The Villager.
She questioned what part of the party’s constitution has she violated.
“They should read their constitution and familiarise themselves with the party’s constitution. If they have been playing around without the Swapo constitution, they will have to follow the constitution this time around,” said Shiduvi.
She added that the Swapo had been taken to court before because some leaders failed to follow the constitution.
“They are fighting for positions. An ex-regional coordinator of this office messed up big time, so what does she want to tell me?” Shiduvi questioned.
She further said that when people are not voted into office, they should not force things but instead wait for their time to come.
“I and Marceline Kahare had competed in the same elections before. She made it as the regional coordinator, and I didn’t. The second time we competed, I won the elections. Now she is going on. Did she see me fighting against her in the streets?”
“Shame on her! She even recruited people and backdated their days to pay her so that they could become councillors,” said Shiduvi.
According to Shiduvi, former regional councillor Michael Shikongo, who is one of the protest’s organisers, is why Swapo lost Kavongo East to the Independent Candidate (IC).
She also fingered the Kavango East mayor Isaak Kandingu as why there is “havoc” in the region.
“They must wait until my term ends, which will be in July, so they go for elections and compete against me if they want to challenge me,” she stressed.
Sources who spoke to The Villager on condition of anonymity said that Wakudumo and Shiduvi had planned a demonstration against Mashare constituency councillor Fillipus Mavara, claiming he is not from the Shambyu tribe and cannot be a councillor at Muroro.
“These two people have close relations where they target people they don’t want to be leaders in certain villages and constituencies,” the source said.
They further claim that Shiduvi sidelined staff from her office.
“She doesn’t talk to anybody, especially the driver and the secretary, because they are not from her tribe.”
The organisers also wrote a letter asking for permission to demonstrate to the party’s vice chairperson of leader assigned to the region, Lucia Ilpumbu. The party’s secretary-general, Sophia Shaningwa, was CC’d in the letter.
This is the second time allegations of nepotism have been levelled against Wakudumo. In 2020, a mass demonstration was planned after residents alleged that he had employed his biological son as the driver of his official vehicle and employed an in-law as secretary.
When The Villager reached out to Wakudumo and Iipumbu, their phones went unanswered.
