Nandi-Ndaitwah to remain Swapo candidate as court throws out opposing application

WINDHOEK: The Windhoek High Court on Monday dismissed an urgent application by Swapo member Reinhold Shipwiikineni , which sought an order compelling the ruling party to host an extraordinary congress before the national elections slated for 27 November 2024 . Shipwiikineni and three other Swapo members , Joshua Martins , Erich Shivute and Aina Angula , alleged that Swapo ' s presidential candidate , Netumbo Nandi - Ndaitwah , was not procedurally nominated . Nandi - Ndaitwah was also cited as a respondent in the matter , where Shipwiikineni argues that the party ' s failure to hold an extraordinary congress after the death of its president , Dr Hage Geingob earlier this year , goes against the party ' s constitution . He stressed that the congress ought to have been held within 90 days after Geingob ' s death . He argued that the matter was urgent , in that after elections , they would no longer have the standing to contest Nandi - Ndaitwah ' s presidential nomination . In her answering affidavit , Swapo Sec retary General , Sophia Shaningwa , argued that Nandi - Ndaitwah automatically became Swapo ' s presidential candidate when she was elected as the vice - president of the Swapo Party at the beginning of December 2022 at the party ' s Electoral Congress . ' An announcement to that effect was immediately made . Her presidential candidature therefore did not come into effect and was not announced , only later on 09 March 2024 . It was announced publicly at the end of 2022 and throughout 2023 and at numerous occasions at the beginning of 2024 before the death of Dr Hage G Geingob on 04 February 2024 ,' Shaningwa said . Shipwiikineni ' s lawyer , Titus Ipumbu , requested for extra time to allow him a chance to file his replying affidavit , a request that did not sit well with Swapo ' s lawyer , Sisa Namandje . According to Ipumbu , Swapo ' s affidavit was only filed around 22h00 on Sunday . ' The applicant has been threatening litigation as far as September 2023 . He chose the hearing date . They served us with pa pers on Friday when people were campaigning . We were forced to drive in darkness from Mariental last night to give our affidavit . When did he think we would reply ? We object ,' Namandje argued . Judge Hannelie Prinsloo ordered that the matter be struck off the court roll . Source: The Namibia Press Agency