Windhoek - Recent comments by Namibia's ruling Swapo Party Central Committee member, Kazenambo Kazenambo, on the party's presidential succession could have spoiled the broth for party vice-president and Minister of Trade and Industry, Hage Geingob - widely seen as President Hifikepunye Pohamba's successor, The Southern Times has learnt.
Kazenambo, also the Deputy Minister of Regional and Local Government, Housing and Rural Development, sparked a public debate when he said in an interview with a local weekly that it was time the ruling party considered a non-Oshiwambo speaking president.
The owambo is Namibia's largest tribe comprising more than 50 percent of the total population. Both President Hifikepunye Pohamba and his predecessor Dr Sam Nujoma belong to this tribe.
Party insiders The Southern Times spoke to this week were clearly irked by Kazenambo's statement with others questioning the "real" motive behind his "utterances". What was more telling, the sources said, was that the Deputy Minister sits on the same central committee that adopted the current succession procedure used by the party. "How can he question a decision by the same central committee on which he also sits, and even do that through the media," a party insider said.
A Central Committee meeting held in July last year approved draft rules and procedures for the election of its office bearers, clearly outlining the line of succession.
In a document entitled "Swapo party Rules and Procedures for Election of Party Office Bearers and Party Representatives and Legislative and Government Levels", Swapo stipulates that the party's presidential candidate will come from the top four party leaders in order of seniority.
It states that the party president becomes the automatic candidate for the Republic, unless if he cannot be re-elected because of the two-term constraint, in which case the party's vice president will be the automatic choice as the party's presidential candidate.
Geingob, who hails from the minority Damara tribe is Swapo's Vice-President and was seen as the automatic choice to contest the country's presidency come 2014 as incumbent President Pohamba would have competed his second and last term.
To pass that test though, Geingob would have to hold onto his position at the ruling party's next congress in 2012, something, sources claim, "could be a difficult hurdle to overcome".
The Southern Times learnt that Kazenambo, known to be a strong supporter of a Geingob presidency, could have inadvertently turned some ardent party supporters and insiders - who were initially against a non-Oshiwambo person at the helm - against Geingob.
"Something is happening here. Geingob was assured of the party presidency (come 2012) and two years later (2014) a country presidential nomination, but Kazenambo might have squandered such chances for him," another source told The Southern Times.
Some are of the opinion that Kazenambo should have employed standard party procedures of raising and settling grievances through the party's structures and avoid opening "a non-existent debate" in public. Swapo's Secretary-General, Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana -who could also be roped into the race to the party's presidency by virtue of her position provided the Vice-President is, for whatever reason, declared unsuitable to contest - declined to go into detail over the issue when approached by The Southern Times.
"This issue cannot be left to be discussed in public, the party has structures...I have seen it tearing the party apart before and I do not want to comment on it this time around," was all she could say.
Insiders predict that the tables could turn on what could have been a "conclusive and automatic nomination" for the party presidency by the Vice-President, as anyone else - provided they meet the set requirements - can opt to contest during the party's next congress in 2012.
The ruling party is yet to officially pronounce itself on the issue, opting to handle the issue through its structures at the moment.
