National Unity Democratic Organisation president Utjiua Muinjangue has said the Ovaherero people are and remain the spine of the 57-year-old political party.
Muinjangue was speaking at the party’s youth league third elective conference in Windhoek over the weekend. The party has been accused of being an Ovaherero-only party in the past, however, the party’s leadership on the other hand has made no apologies for the fact that the Ovaherero people dominate the party.
“It is a fact that many political parties are organised along ethnic lines, and Nudo is no exception. The spine of the Nudo has been the Ovaherero community, and the dynamics in this community have a direct impact on the operation of the party,” said Muinjangue, who is also the country’s deputy health minister.
The youth wing’s two-day congress saw Golden Katjatako and Haimbonga Haumbo being elected as national chairperson and deputy chairperson respectively.
Veparura Kandirikirira, the acting secretary general (SG) was elected as the substantive SG, to be deputised by Lasqueen Christop.
Motjavi Katjimune and Uejaa Ndjaombe were elected as national treasurer and deputy national treasurer while Pele Kamenie and Shusmeither Uaisiua were elected as national organiser and deputy national organiser respectively. Raul Katjizeu was elected as the youth wing head of policies on innovations. The new leaders will serve the party for the next five years.
Muinjangue further informed the youth that since she took over the party, some individuals have sought unsuccessfully to delegitimise her leadership.
“Since I took over the leadership of this party, the road has been turbulent, some individuals tried very hard to de-popularise the leadership of this party by giving them all kinds of names and descriptions,” she said.
According to her, the untimely passing of the Ovaherero paramount chief advocate Vekuii Rukoro led to a lot of division in the community.
“Our community is conflict-ridden and disrupted. All these have an impact on the functionality and operation of the party,” she said.
Muinjangue said she had the option of accepting or declining the position of deputy health minister when she was appointed, however, she took the job knowing that what is right isn’t always popular, and what is popular isn’t necessarily correct.
“It is unfortunate that some Nudo young people allowed themselves to be dragged into these dynamics and started throwing stones too. The question remains – who are you targeting with these stones, the Nudo leadership?”
The leadership is Nudo. Nudo is the leadership. You, the delegates, are Nudo,” she said, before advising the party’s youth to refrain from being trapped in the mud but to rather adopt a divergent way of thinking.
“Let us not just absorb any information we access but it is important to analyse information you receive, reflect on it before you act. That is why it is so important that when you elect your new leadership, set aside your emotions and use your head not your heart to elect the right persons,” she advised.