Leadership succession battle rocks SPYL Kavango East

Patience Makwele A leadership dispute within the SWAPO Party Youth League (SPYL) in Kavango East has escalated after the regional executive committee suspended a senior youth leader pending an investigation — a move she has rejected as unconstitutional and politically motivated. The suspension of SPYL regional secretary for information, publicity and mobilization, Bibiana Shapi, comes amid preparations for an extraordinary regional conference expected to fill the vacant regional secretary position following the resignation Anselm Marungu, who was appointed as deputy minister of environment, forestry and tourism. In a letter dated 1 June and addressed to the SWAPO party regional executive committee through regional coordinator Ottilie Shinduvi, the SPYL regional executive committee announced Shapi’s suspension pending an investigation into allegations that she was involved in activities aimed at undermining the authority and unity of the regional executive committee.

According to the letter, Shapi is accused of participating in efforts to remove duly elected members of the regional executive committee. “The decision to suspend Cde. Shapi was taken by the SPYL REC after receiving information regarding her alleged involvement in activities aimed at undermining the authority and unity of the regional executive committee through an alleged plot to remove duly elected REC members,” the letter states.