By: Justicia Shipena
President of the ruling party, Hage Geingob, says that some people want Swapo members to feel guilty of being part of the ruling party.
Geingob said this during the official opening of the Swapo’s central committee meeting, which the party held on Saturday in Windhoek.
According to Geingob, some want Swapo members to be tired of being in the party.
“They want us to deny that we are Swapo members. How does one deny a historical movement that freed this country? They don’t want to hear that,” he said.
He stressed that the party fought for the country’s freedom.
While some of them were collaborators of the Boers. Today they are talking too much. Where was DTA?” he questioned.
He added that the former Democratic Turnhalle Alliance (DTA) (now PDM) calls Swapo a puppet and a sell-out.
“If I was there…They are lucky I was watching it on TV. Somebody from DTA called Swapo a sell-out and puppets. Where were you, young people?”
Geingob said there is an idea of targeting the former liberation movement, and there are views that Swapo has been in power for too long.
“They say we have been too long in power, but when we were fighting for too long, did they say you are fighting for too long, we are tired? We continued to fight for many years. Now they are saying we have been too long in power. Now they make a big issue out of it. This is politics,” he lauded.
“If others are saying they will take over next year, Swapo is out. Why don’t they condemn them? That is nonsense.”
He added that it is seen as ridicule when the party makes political statements.
“We are educated, man! We have been through universities. We have made political statements and expressions that NBC picks up, and you make it look like we are stupid,” he said.
He further questions why people want to hate Swapo.
“The freedom of press you are enjoying, we fought for it. Where were some of you? With the Boers.”
Geingob cried that he is getting tired of people trying to make members feel guilty about being in Swapo.
“You should be the ones to be ashamed, for your history is rotten, corrupt leaders. Why should we be made to feel guilty about that? To free people? To free the country?” he added.
He said Swapo is the only party Namibia has.
“Why? It is the only country which fought the war to free this country.”
Hence he urged members of Swapo to be proud of being in the party.
“So, therefore, for those who are trying to lose faith today, I don’t see that. Today I see all of you up in this cold to continue to march on this party of ours. Some of you are trying to be ashamed, and shame on you if you are that way.”
New members were also sworn into the central committee, including former Windhoek mayor and newly elected Swapo women’s council secretary Fransina Kahungu.
