Allexer Namundjembo
Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) leader McHenry Venaani has accused works and transport minister Veikko Nekundi of influencing recent resignations within his party.
Speaking to the Windhoek Observer on Sunday, Venaani claimed that some young PDM members were leaving after receiving job promises allegedly linked to Nekundi.
“The resignations are triggered by the ruling party’s shenanigans. Nekundi has been offering jobs to some of our youth league members who were in the Central Committee. They were invited to weddings in the north with Nekundi. For the last five months we have been noticing the mishaps of these young people,” Venaani said.
He described the situation as “politics of the belly” but admitted that some concerns raised in resignation letters were genuine.
“The issues of saying not all people in the top nine are working hard enough, or whatever, are not far off. These are concerns that have been raised already. It is just six or seven people who we know are apparently going to get jobs in Nekundi’s company or as personal assistants to the Ohangwena governor. Whether that is true or not, we don’t know; it is merely being pushed by the matter of joblessness,” he said.
Venaani confirmed six resignations but dismissed claims of a crisis.
“Their resignations, happening systematically, create a view that there is a crisis, but there is none. PDM is cruising nicely; we are on the ground,” he said. He acknowledged internal challenges but insisted they were manageable. “I even urged people at congress to vote for young leaders, but the congress did not go that way. Now those who are out of jobs are demanding to get jobs. There are demands that cannot be met,” Venaani stated.
He compared PDM’s situation to other opposition parties.
“Political parties survive these things. IPC lost 24 members in Erongo. We are expecting another resignation next week, and probably another one in the next three weeks, and then it is gone. We will concentrate on another picture,” he said.
Efforts to reach Nekundi for comment were unsuccessful.
Last week, PDM lost four members, including former parliamentarians Yvette !Haokhoes Araes and Esmeralda !Aebes, youth league finance secretary Vakamuina Kamutuezu, and youth member Shonena Nathanael.
They cited new opportunities, internal divisions, and leadership style as reasons for leaving.
Following Araes’s resignation, former member of parliament and PDM member Hidipo Hamata expressed sadness.
Writing on social media, he said he was struggling to accept her decision. “I can hardly believe that she has parted ways with the movement we worked hard to rebrand and present as the county’s true alternative,” Hamata wrote.
Political analyst Ndumba Kamwanyah described the resignations as concerning and said they pointed to serious internal challenges, worsened by last year’s poor election results.
“My advice to the party is clear: regroup, rebuild, and focus on restoring trust and unity. Leadership is most needed in difficult times, and this is when true commitment to the party should show,” Kamwanyah said.
He added that more resignations could follow if the problems are not addressed, but some departures may be driven by personal political ambitions.
“In the end, real leaders stay. They fix what’s broken, build what’s missing, and help rebuild the party to be stronger than before,” he said.
