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R 110930Z SEP 09
FM AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 0753
INFO SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L WINDHOEK 000328 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/11/2019 
TAGS: PGOV PREL WA
SUBJECT: POLITICAL STARS WAX AND WANE: SWAPO HOLDS ITS 
ELECTORAL COLLEGE 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Dennise Mathieu for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
¶1. (SBU) On September 5 and 6, Namibia's ruling party, the 
Southwest African People's Organization (SWAPO), held its 
electoral college. Delegates from around the country threw 
their hats into the ring in hopes of becoming one of 72 on 
the party list, contenders for a seat in the National 
Assembly. Familiar faces dominate the list, but there were a 
few unexpected changes. Five deputy ministers, who were new 
entrants on SWAPO's 2004 party list, moved into the top 20. 
Three ministers fell to the bottom ten, rendering their 
chances of winning seats nearly impossible. President 
Pohamba, who by party rules is able to choose ten candidates, 
surprised some with his selections. And many are disappointed 
that none of the representatives from SWAPO's elders', 
women's and unionist wings received enough votes to make the 
list at all. 
 
¶2. (U) This cable is the latest in a series on Namibia's 
preparations for the November 2009 elections. The full party 
list appears in paragraph 15. End summary. 
 
-------------------------------------- 
The Mechanics of the Electoral College 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (U) SWAPO held its much-anticipated electoral college on 
September 5 and 6. Namibia's political structure is based on 
the party list system. It is not public knowledge how most of 
the smaller political parties conduct their electoral 
colleges or compile their party lists, but SWAPO's process is 
well-known. The SWAPO electoral college convenes once every 
five years in the months leading up to the general election. 
This year, the electoral college was composed of the 
following: all 83 members of SWAPO's Central Committee; 17 
members of parliament (MPs) who are not in the Central 
Committee; five delegates from each of the 13 regions (65 
people); five delegates from the party's Elders' Council; ten 
delegates from the party's Women's Council; five delegates 
from the SWAPO Party Youth League (SPYL); and five delegates 
from the National Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW), a 
SWAPO-affiliated organization. 
 
¶4. (SBU) In the end, SWAPO presents a list of 72 names. 
Delegates vote for 59 of those candidates, all of whom are 
college delegates themselves. In addition, SWAPO's vice 
president, secretary general, and deputy secretary general 
automatically take the top three spots on the list. These are 
added to 10 delegates personally chosen by Pohamba, who are 
"zebra-striped" into the list. This year, Pohamba's picks 
come in at number 24 and alternate every other slot until 
number 42. Pohamba announced his choices after the college's 
elections. Typically the ten are the president's chance to 
promote people who are not generally regarded as heavyweights 
in government or the ruling party and might otherwise not be 
elected. 
 
------------------------------- 
Continuity with a Few Surprises 
------------------------------- 
 
¶5. (U) Pundits have been quick to call the list "more of the 
same" with a "remarkable level of continuity." Most of the 72 
names are well-known SWAPO stalwarts who are already serving 
in the National Assembly. It is worth noting, however, that 
several deputy ministers who were new entrants to the list in 
2004, scored well and moved into the top 20. They are: Utoni 
Nujoma of the Ministry of Justice (and former president Sam 
Nujoma's son); Kazenambo Kazenambo of the Ministry of 
Regional, Local Government, Housing and Rural Development; 
Petrina Haingura of the Ministry of Health and Social 
Services; Tjekero Tweya of the Ministry of Finance; and 
Pohamba Shifeta of the Ministry of Youth, National Service, 
Sport and Culture. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Three ministers--- Marlene Mungunda of Gender 
Equality and Child Welfare (at number 63), Willem Konjore of 
Youth, National Service, Sport and Culture (at 67), and 
Helmut Angula of Works, Transport and Communication (at 70) 
came in at the bottom of the list. The latter two repeatedly 
have found themselves at odds with the SPYL and the NUNW. The 
Youth League has accused Helmut Angula and Minister of 
Environment of Tourism Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, who did not 
fare much better at 55, of being "hibernators" of the 
opposition Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP). 
 
¶7. (C) None of the Elders' Council or Women's Council 
representatives made it onto the party list, although women 
do constitute 33 percent of the total list.  Of the SPYL's 
five delegates, two succeeded. The first is Paulus Kapia (at 
25), who in 2005 resigned as deputy minister of Works, 
Transport and Communication and was suspended from the SPYL 
after he was linked to an investment scandal. The SPYL 
declared Kapia "rehabilitated" earlier this year despite his 
ongoing trial. The second, Piet Van der Walt (at 44), is new 
to politics and the first Afrikaner ever to make SWAPO's list 
of his own accord (Note: Other SWAPO MPs of Afrikaner origin 
have been brought in to government as presidential 
appointments. End note.)  According to Windhoek City 
Counselor and SWAPO insider Gerson Kamatuka, many in the 
party are disappointed that the "wings" of the party did not 
fare better. This sentiment was not ignored by the opposition 
Congress of Democrats, which reached out to the groups this 
week, arguing that SWAPO had betrayed them and promising them 
better representation in its own party structures. 
 
¶8. (C) Regional councillors and members of the National 
Council, Namibia's upper house of parliament, also left the 
electoral college unhappy, Kamatuka remarked. They had been 
promised that for the first time this year, they could stand 
for the National Assembly, but were told at the college that 
this was not possible. Kamatuka explained that SWAPO 
disapproves of the councillors abandoning their positions 
mid-term, because the party would then "gamble with 
bi-elections" to fill their seats. 
 
¶9. (SBU) Many observers were surprised by Pohamba's choices, 
the majority of whom are unknown not only to the general 
public but also to SWAPO watchers. Moreover, Pohamba's 
decision to include the highly popular Minister of Finance 
Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, whose name has been bandied about 
as a possible prime minister, has left many perplexed. The 
Finance Minister told The Namibian newspaper that she did not 
stand for election because the president asked her in 
confidence to be included in his list of ten.  The paper also 
reports that Pohamba compiled his list and confirmed his 
candidates' interest shortly before the college began. 
 
----------- 
Safe at 51? 
----------- 
 
¶10. (C) The Namibian National Assembly consists of 72 seats. 
Of those, SWAPO currently holds 55 or two-thirds. While the 
party has publicly stated it attends to win 100 percent of 
the seats in November, behind the scenes some SWAPO members 
are concerned that the RDP may pose a threat at the polls. 
Kamatuka told Poloff that numbers 55 and below "were not 
sleeping well." He ventured that 54 through 51 probably also 
feel insecure, and then asked, "Do you think it could be 
worse than that?" 
 
------- 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶11. (C)  Pohamba's picks appear to be gestures to communities 
that are otherwise not well-represented on the list. Sylvia 
Makgone (at 42) is both a woman and a member of the Tswana 
ethnic group, for instance. More curious is his decision to 
include Kuugongelwa-Amadhila. The Minister of Finance is very 
popular and could have easily placed well on her own. It is 
possible that the president may have used 
Kuugongelwa-Amdahila as political cover so that he could 
bring in the unpopular Minister of Defense Charles Namoloh 
without this selection appearing out-of-place. Pohamba will 
have the chance to add six more names to the list if he is 
re-elected president. The six would be non-voting MPs or they 
could be given positions as ministers or deputy ministers. 
Should he be re-elected, the President may feel pressure to 
promote the five rising stars from deputy ministers to 
ministers. 
 
¶12. (C) Also unexpected were the SPYL's delegate choices. 
None of the SPYL's leadership chose to represent the 
out-spoken and often controversial organization at the 
college. It is possible that SPYL determined that the college 
would not bring about major changes in the party's leadership 
and did not want to risk running for office at this time. The 
group may take solace in the fact, however, that their 
ongoing efforts to discredit Helmut Angula and Willem Konjore 
may have helped to hasten the end of their political careers. 
There is still a chance Pohamba could intervene and save them 
with his final six slots. Interestingly Pohamba, and not the 
SPYL, injected the most new blood into the list. 
 
¶13. (C) It should be noted that a few SWAPO stalwarts chose 
to retire this year. Some, such as the popular Deputy Prime 
Minister, Libertina Amathila, would have likely made the list 
easily, while others, such as Minister of Veterans Affairs 
Ngarikutuke Tjiriange were rumored to lack the support 
necessary for inclusion among the 72. 
 
¶14. (C) The continuity between current SWAPO leadership and 
the new party list seems to indicate that supporters are 
generally satisfied with the direction the party is taking. 
Although it remains unclear whether the much-speculated 
divisions within SWAPO are subsiding. 
 
 
¶15. (U) The SWAPO Party list of candidates to the National 
Assembly as elected by the electoral college (in order of 
highest ranking to lowest ranking): 
 
  ¶1. Hage Geingob 
  ¶2. Pendukene Iivula-Ithana 
  ¶3. Nangolo Mbumba 
  ¶4. Jerry Ekandjo 
  ¶5. Utoni Nujoma 
  ¶6. Alpheus Naruseb 
  ¶7. Abraham Iyambo 
  ¶8. Petrina Haingura 
  ¶9. Nchabi Richard Kamwi 
  ¶10. Kazenambo Kazenambo 
  ¶11. Joel Kaapanda 
  ¶12. Erkki Nghimtina 
  ¶13. John Mutoawa 
  ¶14. Nahas Angula 
  ¶15. Tjekeo Tweya 
  ¶16. Petrus Iilonga 
  ¶17. Theo-Ben Gurirab 
  ¶18. Immanuel Ngatjizeko 
  ¶19. Pohamba Shifeta 
  ¶20. Elia Kaiyamo 
  ¶21. Albert Kawana 
  ¶22. Bernhard Esau 
  ¶23. Doreen Sioka 
  ¶24. Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila 
  ¶25. Ilonga Paulus Kapia 
  ¶26. Charles Namholo 
  ¶27. Peya Mushelenga 
  ¶28. Alpheus Muheua 
  ¶29. Loide Kasingo 
  ¶30. Monica Nashandi 
  ¶31. Erastus Uutoni 
  ¶32. Billy Mwaningange 
  ¶33. Marco Hausiku 
  ¶34. Lucia Witbooi 
  ¶35. Angelika Muharukua 
  ¶36. Auguste Xoagus 
  ¶37. Chief Samuel Ankama 
  ¶38. Uahekua Herunga 
  ¶39. Rosalia Ndhidinua 
  ¶40. Willem Isaack 
  ¶41. Nickey Iyambo 
  ¶42. Sylvia Makgone 
  ¶43. David Namwandi 
  ¶44. Piet Van der Walt 
  ¶45. Lempy Lucas 
  ¶46. Isak Katali 
  ¶47. Tommy Nambahu 
  ¶48. Elifas Dingara 
  ¶49. Festus Ueitele 
  ¶50. Juliet Kavetuna 
  ¶51. Moses Amweelo 
  ¶52. Evelyne Nawases-Taeyele 
  ¶53. Alexia Manambo-Ncube 
  ¶54. Ben Amathila 
  ¶55. Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah 
  ¶56. Lucia Basson 
  ¶57. Raphael Dinyando 
  ¶58. Royal J.K. /Ui/O/Oo 
  ¶59. Teopolina Mushelenge 
  ¶60. Otto Ipinge 
  ¶61. Becky Ndjoze-Ojo 
  ¶62. Sylvia Kandanga-Sheetekela 
  ¶63. Marlene Mungunda 
  ¶64. Korbian Viscaya Amutenya 
  ¶65. Victor Simunja 
  ¶66. David Namalenga 
  ¶67. Willem Konjore 
  ¶68. Sussy Gideon 
  ¶69. Paul Smith 
  ¶70. Helmut Angula 
  ¶71. Ida Hoffman 
  ¶72. Hansina Christiaan 
 
 
 
 
MATHIEU