Amwaalanga

SPYL Wants Kazenambo Fired

Kazenambo Kazenambo the former Deputy Minister of Regional, Local Government and Housing and Rural Development and now the Minister of of Youth ; the man who had no fear to raise his voice in supporting the legalization of prostitution in Namibia is now facing the recall of his current position in the government .

His recall

Kazenambo has been criticised by various SPYL(Swapo Party Youth League) regional branches such as Kavango and Erongo, who called on the Swapo Party leadership to intervene in the verbal spat between Kazenambo and SPYL secretary Elijah Ngurare. To cement their stance on the "failure of the youth ministry", Job Amupanda, the newly elected SPYL secretary for information, said at a media briefing that the Central Committee was disappointed with the Ministry of Youth..

At the youth league's 5th Congress held in September, Pohamba publicly called on youth league members to report leaders who are not performing, of which Kazenambo was part of them."Those leaders who are in positions on the ticket of the youth league, we will recall them if they are not performing. Give me the names, I will recall them," he said.. The Swapo Party Youth League (SPYL) Regional Conference held in Ongwediva, Okatana and other notheren part of namibia ended in chaos due to some members of the outgoing regional executive committee refused the people at the conference an opportunity to discuss issues relating to the Youth Minister Kazenambo.

Kazenambo's say on the youth league's plans to demand his recall

Kazenambo said he should not be bothered with "useless questions"."Ask those who are writing the letter. I don't report to The Namibian. I report to the President. I'm not bothered by being recalled. Why are you asking me as though I'm bothered? I'm not the one writing the letter [to the President] and I'm not the President. I'm not the one who is writing the letter, ask those writing the letter.". The Minister of Youth, National Service, Sport and Culture, Kazenambo Kazenambo, has singled out Swapo Party Youth League (SPYL) Secretary Dr Elijah Ngurare as the man behind alleged attempts to fire him.Kazenambo told Namibian Sun upon inquiry that SPYL has put a target on him, further alleging that his nemesis Ngurare was at the forefront of lobbying all the wing’s regional structures to rally behind plans to get him fired.Responding to reports that a wheel was in motion to flush him out of the Government system, an irate Kazenambo said: “The Swapo Youth League has never been as divided as it is under this man (Ngurare). I may go and there are those who are celebrating me going, but the division will not stop. I am not the problem. SPYL has gone down under his leadership.”

The main issue

Apparently the youth league is also not satisfied with the work of the National Youth Council (NYC), which falls under Kazenambo's ministry and is headed by the man they prevented from being part of the National Executive Committee last weekend, Mandela Kapere. The NYC is being accused of accepting tribal youth group affiliations while those who head it are accused of abusing their power by giving preferential treatment to some districts.As a result, the Central Committee decided to establish "a technical committee to conduct an overall re-look at the NYC questions and propose the way forward".The findings of the technical committee might affect the leadership of the NYC.Ngurare in response again called Kazenambo “a chicken on drugs” and said he would not even waste time on responding to any of the minister’s allegations.Kazenambo hit back in a rather strong vulgar tone, calling Ngurare a penniless political ghost whose background is shady. The minister vowed to dig deep in his own pockets to investigate the origins of the SPYL secretary.Ngurare drew the wrath of Kazenambo after he criticised the performance of the youth ministry and its supposed laxity in addressing challenges facing the country’s young people. In defence Natangwe Ithete, an NYC board member, said he did not understand why the youth league was saying they were not delivering . He said the SPYL as an affiliate to the NYC had not contacted them on that issue. He stated that they faced many challenges, such as funding. "Despite that though, with the minimum funds they have,they have achieved a lot. It's impossible in today's world to satisfy everybody? he questioned. Countrywide, we have over 40 youth groups affiliated to NYC and SPYL is one of those 40. "This is the first time we are getting a complaint from the SPYL and while at it, through the media. Maybe they are still coming to us officially with their complaint. Why they chose to go straight to the media to air their complaint is not known to us."..

A fortnight ago, after some senior Swapo leaders met at State House for an unknown early evening business, talk spread like wildfire that the meeting had discussed the dismissal of Kazenambo. The rumour was quashed by many Swapo and Government leaders that Namibian Sun spoke to at the time, but the SPYL has now seemingly revived the process to send Kazenambo into political wilderness. The minister yesterday said the SPYL wants to prescribe to Pohamba what to do. “Come what may, I will not become a political orphan in this country,” he said.

“I will not be reduced to a secondary citizen.” He added: “Why is this ministry being singled out? And why Kazenambo? They have placed a target on certain ministers that they do not like and I am priority number one.”He said he is submitting reports and briefing Pohamba about the activities of his ministry and challenged the SPYL to produce records of its achievement under Ngurare.“He is the one who is mobilising the youth in the regions to cover his dark past. Ngurare is undermining the peace and stability of this country, accused Kazenambo.”

Kazenambo has been caught in many controversies in recent years – verbally attacking journalists, calling for the legalisation of prostitution and calling for a non-Omuwambo person to succeed Pohamba as president.But the unapologetic minister said: “I have never said anything in my life that I regret. I do not have regrets about my past or about my future. I am proud about myself and who I am - the role I have played. I do not regret anything. “Approached for comment, Ngurare said: “When one is behaving like a chicken on drugs there is no time to waste on that.”

The final Decision

THE Swapo Party Youth League (SPYL) is in the process of finalising a letter urging President Hifikepunye Pohamba to recall Youth Minister Kazenambo Kazenambo, The Namibian has learned. According to a Central Committee member of the youth wing, the letter will have input from all the 13 regions on why Kazenambo should vacate his position, which will be done in three or four days.The SPYL leaders in the Kavango and Erongo regions have made public statements in the past weeks attacking Kazenambo and calling on Pohamba to fire him. ..