Swapo Chief Whip Steps Down Amidst Internal Party Dynamics
Windhoek, Namibia – – Uahekua Herunga has resigned from his position as Swapo’s chief whip in the National Assembly, reportedly due to mounting pressure from a group of younger parliamentarians within the party. The announcement was made by National Assembly speaker Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila during a parliamentary session on Wednesday.
Alpheus !Naruseb has been appointed as the new Swapo chief whip, replacing Herunga.
According to a Swapo parliamentarian who spoke to The Namibian on Wednesday, Herunga voluntarily offered to step down following disagreements with younger MPs regarding parliamentary procedures. “There was too much pressure from the new group of MPs in terms of how they want things done versus what he was doing. He felt it was best to resign so someone else could take over. Those guys were really misbehaving,” the source said.
The source further described a dynamic where the newer MPs were overly critical of Herunga’s approach. “He is a quiet guy and they started taking advantage of that. There was too much radicalism. The membership had full control over the chief whip, and they were too picky on him. He thought maybe he was the problem, so he resigned. He did not want to fight.”
Herunga confirmed his resignation to The Namibian, characterizing the decision as a personal one. He emphasized that he will continue to serve as a member of parliament.
“The decision was personal, and I decided to relinquish my chief whip position,” Herunga stated.
This resignation marks the first instance of a Swapo chief whip stepping down while remaining a member of parliament. In 2007, Ben Amathila resigned as chief whip and simultaneously vacated his parliamentary seat, later being replaced by Hage Geingob.
Nahas Angula, a former Swapo parliamentarian, highlighted the crucial role of the chief whip. “The chief whip organises and controls the party’s parliamentary caucus. He ensures MPs attend sessions and liaises with chief whips from other parties,” Angula explained.
The Namibian also reported on other news items today, including a decline in elephant and rhino poaching, and Namibia offering premium treasury bills that outperformed South Africa’s.
Namibia’s national cricket team secured a thrilling six-run win over Scotland and is preparing for a test match against India-A on Friday.
