WINDHOEK FAITH SANKWASA
Swapo's new regional co-ordinator in the Kavango Region, Johanna Kandjimi has vowed to eliminate political infighting by uniting the party ahead of next year's presidential and National Assembly elections.
Kandjimi, 52, is the second woman to hold the position in the region. At an extraordinary regional conference held on Saturday, she garnered 46 votes against Vicky Kauma, who obtained 26 votes, in bid to replace Vincent Likoro.
The deputy minister of health and social services, Petrina Haingura, was the first woman to hold the position from 2002 to 2005.
Kandjimi is also the current regional secretary of the Swapo Women's Council (SPWC), while Kauma is a Central Committee member.
The position was left vacant when Likoro was appointed as special advisor to the minister of lands and resettlement, Alpheus !Naruseb, in April.
Kandjimi says her focus will be on recruiting more party members, starting with a visit to the Mukwe Constituency.
That particular constituency is made up of the San population. I want to engage them in talks regarding the Swapo party. I will also do the same for other tribes within the rural area of the region.
Former Kavango Governor John Thighuru, who was nominated by the party's Mukwe District, withdrew from the race five days before the election.
Kavango regional Swapo Party mobiliser Erick Tjandja told Nampa on Monday that Thighuru withdrew in good faith, as he was informed late about the nomination and did not have enough time to campaign.
Tjandja dismissed allegations that Thighuru withdrew due to pressure from female cabinet ministers who wanted a woman to lead the party in the region.
The Kavango regional branch of the SPWC will hold its extraordinary conference sometime next month to elect a new regional secretary to replace Kandjimi.
-Additional reporting Nampa