Proceedings have kicked off for the Swapo Party Electoral College weekend, with Vice President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah calling for unity during the opening of the Party's Central Committee meeting held in the capital this morning.
The Central Committee is the party's highest decision-making body in between two congresses and will, among others, assess the party's readiness for Sunday's electoral college, also known as the pot, where the party will elect the list of members to run for national assembly seats in the November general election.
"We are at a critical point in our party, and we should as leaders be a good example and provide the right leadership. Particularly now that the excitement for the Electoral College has reached a climax. I am calling on all of us as leaders of this party to be a good example to allow a competition that is guided by a spirit of comradeship, all of us having been nominated by our regions is because of our capability and because of our commitment and dedication."
She said every contest has winners and losers and called on delegates to consolidate democracy in the party regardless of the results of the Electoral College.
Other central committee members have expressed optimism that the outcome of the Electoral College will reflect the diversity of the country.
Deputy Secretary General of Swapo Party, Uahekua Herunga "We have been preparing for this event, the Electoral College, it is one of the most important events on the Swapo party calendar. The spirit of all the comrades is very higher starting from last night at the gala dinner, we are more united than ever before, the unity is very strong in the Swapo party."
Swapo Regional Coordinator in Oshikoto, Armas Amukwiyu "What we should be expecting from this pot is, personally, I would like to see this pot producing a rainbow kind of results that reflect the quality of candidates that we want to have to form the new government that is coming up."
The Swapo Party currently has 63, out of a possible 96 voting seats in the National Assembly.