Ngurare triggers Swapo succession debate

Prime minister Elijah Ngurare is in favour of president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah serving a second term, sparking mixed reactions from political analysts over internal Swapo succession debates.

He argues that previous elected presidents were allowed to serve more than one term.

In a recent social media post, Ngurare says Nandi-Ndaitwah, who is also Swapo’s president, deserves “uninterrupted sitting”.

“Her excellency . . . will serve her two terms too. Let us help and stand by her to implement what she has promised through the Swapo manifesto and the sixth National Development Plan without distracting her attention,” he writes.

Contacted for comment yesterday, Ngurare’s personal assistant said the prime minister was in a Cabinet meeting.

Swapo has not held its elective congress to choose a presidential candidate for the 2029 elections. The congress is expected to take place next year.

Ngurare believes the president should be allowed to implement her promises without the distraction of premature succession debates.

The prime minister says discussions about succession intend to derail government service delivery.

“Let us not fall into this cheap political trap. It is premature and childish to start a succession debate that will only take place in 2035,” he says.

Swapo Party Youth League (SPYL) secretary Ephraim Nekongo also backs the call, saying the president has received overwhelming support and should be allowed to continue leading uninterrupted.

“For now, let’s support her. The focus must be on developing the country. Discussions on succession are still far away,” Nekongo says.

He says destructive political debates should be discouraged in favour of discussions on national development.

Political analyst Rui Tyitende says Ngurare’s remarks expose division and frustration within Swapo.

He says some senior party figures feel sidelined after individuals outside traditional party structures have been appointed to Cabinet positions.

Ngurare, who previously served as SPYL leader, does not hold any senior party position currently.

“There are former ministers, deputy ministers and governors who are ordinary members of the National Assembly but occupy positions within party structures. They feel excluded as ‘people from the streets’ have been appointed as ministers and deputy ministers,” he says.

Tyitende says the Constitution does not guarantee any president two terms, but merely limits a president to that.

“The question is whether Ngurare consulted the president before making the statement. If yes, then Nandi-Ndaitwah definitely has ambitions to run for a second term,” he says.

Political analyst Sam Kauapirurua says Ngurare’s remarks do not violate the Constitution.

“To be a prime minister governing ministries, you must be trusted. It makes sense that she appoints those who support her,” he says.

Kauapirurua believes the endorsement reflects growing succession tension and internal political manoeuvring within Swapo.

Political commentator Ndumba Kamwanyah says the endorsement reflects a wider African political culture in which loyalty to leaders often overshadows accountability.

“Senior leaders often feel compelled to defend and praise the person who appointed them. In many cases, loyalty matters more than honest public evaluation,” he says.

Kamwanyah warns that early praise politics weakens democratic accountability, especially when citizens are still waiting for improvements in unemployment, service delivery, corruption and economic growth.

“At this stage, calls for another term appear more political than performance-based,” he says.

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