Martin Endjala
A political analyst says the Swapo Party Women’s Council at its congress at the weekend elected a young and vibrant leadership, unlike in the past where its leadership was dominated by old veterans of the wing from exile.
Ndumba Kamwenyah pointed out that the just concluded 8th congress of the wing elected a young vibrant leadership that will create new dynamics that will inject new ways of politics as compared to the previous situations where everyone one was familiar with each other. The congress elected the former mayor of Windhoek, Fransina Kahungu as the new secretary to succeed Eunice Iipinge, who will now only serve on the wing’s central committee. Kahungu will be deputised by Maria Ntusi.
The congress held a virtual from three venues one in Windhoek, the other two in Ongwediva and Rundu was conducted without any hiccups and delegates were excited with the outcome of the congress and with the election results as well. Kamwenya in an interview with the Windhoek Observer said the new leadership will play a pivotal role in the upcoming mother body congress slated for this year in voting and setting the tone for those who will be vetted by politburo to campaign for the mother bodies positions. However, he did not exclude the possibility of Swapo continuing to go about doing things as per its old traditions and norms which many have
come to grow accustomed to.
He furthermore outlined that both new SPWC secretaries particularly Kahungu, was a former mayor of the City of Windhoek and as outgoing deputy secretary of the wing, she is capable of leading and under her stewardship changes will be seen.
The Windhoek Observer also spoke to the outgoing SPWC secretary about the congress and the forever fired up Eunice Iipinge did not waste time to describe the event as a success, saying deserving delegates emerged as winners and the new edition of young blood and professionals into the central committee as well as the diversity from all regions that are being represented are the standout milestones of the congress. Iiping said that she was elected as the new pan African Women
Organization president last year at the (PAWO) 10th congress that was held here in Namibia Windhoek, replacing the outgoing Assetou Koike of Uganda. “With my new PAWO presidency – new challenges are coming up, I felt that it was the best thing to do to give up one thing in order to concentrate fully on the other .“
Iipinge also said that she will continue to give advice and play a part in helping the central committee of the wing and of the party in making decisive decisions. “I cannot run both SPWC and PAWO, I need to concentrate on PAWO because we are not just talking about Namibia alone but about 50 something African countries and I have to make an impact,” she added.
She believes that the new leadership is well equipped to lead the SPWC and will bring about new change, stating that change can at times be a good thing and in this regard she is adamant it is the right change that the wing needs.
