The Swapo Party has condemned what it termed acts of sabotage and bullying directed at Vice-President Lucia Witbooi during the recent official opening of the Nama Cultural Festival in Keetmanshoop.
Addressing a media conference at Keetmanshoop, the party's Information and Mobilisation Officer for Berseba, David Mathys, maintained that a deliberate effort was made to undermine the VP at the recent official opening of the Nama Cultural Festival.
He stated the Vice President was explicitly invited to the event to deliver the keynote address.
However, the organising committee later allegedly insisted that the keynote message be delivered by the Nama Traditional Leaders Association Chairperson, Gaob Johannes Isaack, citing that it was a cultural event.
This, said Mathys, appears to be an attempt to disrespect Witbooi.
"What is the actual objective of the Nama Cultural Festival? Is it to promote the preservation of the Nama traditional culture and, in the same vein, unify the different Nama clans, or is it a platform for the sole purpose of political campaigns in favour of a certain political party? Clearly, this platform is only creating division among the Nama people. An elaborate, premeditated and deliberate trap was set to sabotage the office of our Honourable Vice President," he asserted.
Attempts to obtain a comment from the organising committee's chairperson, Dirk ǂEigub, were unsuccessful despite sending messages and receiving a promise that he would provide a response, which ultimately did not happen.
Another attempt to reach out to him today proved futile as his phone was off.
Meanwhile, Vice President Lucia Witbooi refuted claims she left the official opening event unannounced before the singing of the national anthem, following the delivery of her message.
Witbooi said she informed Gaob Isaack that she had to leave early because the delayed start of the official opening event overlapped with the scheduled start of the prayer service for late Emeritus Dean Stefanus Tiboth, which she was obliged to attend.
According to her, Gaob Isaack joined her a few minutes later at the prayer session.