‘Curse’ of the youth council

Violent NYC election collapses over safety, critics call for reform

The state-funded National Youth Council’s future is in jeopardy after violence and the electoral committee’s resignation forced the postponement of its Swakopmund general assembly this weekend.

Critics are calling for the institution to be dismantled.

Minister of education, innovation, youth, sport, arts and culture Sanet Steenkamp yesterday described the interruption of proceedings on Saturday as “unacceptable, unruly conduct and violence”.

Delegates were scheduled to elect a new National Youth Council (NYC) executive chairperson, with candidates Esther Simon and Simon Taapopi emerging as front runners, but chaos erupted leaving nine injured.

The injured delegates subsequently received medical treatment and have since been discharged from hospital.

Steenkamp and her deputy, Dino Ballotti, this weekend visited those affected and strongly condemned the violence.

“No grievance justifies harm,” Steenkamp said yesterday, adding that the incident is under investigation.

In the interest of safety and order, the minister postponed the assembly and election.

She said members of the electoral committee and the interim board who witnessed this weekend’s events were significantly affected.

The interim NYC board has been tasked with resolving outstanding issues and will communicate the way forward, including a new date for the continuation of the assembly, Steenkamp said.

Meanwhile, youth leaders have expressed disappointment in this weekend’s disrupted gathering, saying the youth organisation has become a “curse”.

Former NYC head of finance and administration Nyerere Namoloh yesterday described the events as disappointing and unfortunate, saying the current generation of young people was expected to have improved.

“It is worrying, because these are the people we expect to take leadership going forward,” he said.

During his time in 2008, Namoloh said the youth council existed by its own resolution, but had to be dissolved to become an act of parliament as it received limited government funding.

He said they wanted it to continue as an institution to develop young people.

“We did not expect it would become a curse, as it seems it came with a lot of funding and it appears people are contesting for positions now,” he said.

Namoloh said the assembly was slated to discuss pertinent issues like unemployment, the state of Namibia’s youth, and issues affecting young people.

This has, however, turned into a contest for positions rather than ideas, he said.

Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) national youth leader Michael Mwashindange yesterday described Steenkamp’s actions as unlawful, saying the power to postpone events lies with the general assembly.

He said the minister and the ministry should be held accountable for wasted expenditure.

“The NYC Act states that the general assembly is the highest policy and decision-making body of the council. The same act gave the general assembly powers, which include to consider and implement proposals on urgent matters,” he said.

Mwashindange said this weekend’s chaos undermined the council’s credibility and integrity, describing it as a serious setback for young people’s democratic participation in Namibia.

“We expect the NYC to serve as a non-partisan platform that advances the interests of all Namibian youth. Instead, recurring disputes, governance challenges, and transparency issues have eroded confidence in an institution that should be empowering young people and nurturing future leaders,” he said.

Duminga Ndala, one of the candidates vying for an NYC board post, yesterday said she was doing well after sustaining minor injuries at the event and has opened a case at the Swakopmund Police Station.

She said the postponement was necessary to ensure people’s safety, but seeing this is the second time a general assembly is called off, it raises concerns over political interference.

“A few individuals must not be allowed to disrupt procedural rules just because they feel like it. [Simon] Taapopi’s delegates were not the problem, but those from the Swapo Party Youth League (SPYL),” she said.

Ndala said the council will regroup once a new general assembly date is announced, adding that the council trusts the education ministry will address the disruption.

She said the scenes at the event do not bode well for young people amid the fight against gender-based violence.

Analyst Ndumba Kamwanyah says Swapo’s involvement in the youth council is killing the ideals many have fought and died for.

He says the organisation has become deeply politicised.

“If we are serious about national development, we must depoliticise our institutions and restore their original purpose, serving the public, not political interests,” he says.

‘SIGN OR SLEEP ELSEWHERE’

SPYL deputy secretary Christine Haindaka is accused of forcing delegates attending the NYC general assembly over the weekend to sign a petition calling off the election.

Those who refused to sign it were allegedly told to make alternative accommodation arrangements, instead of sleeping at the designated bungalows.

Richman Indongo, a delegate from the Khomas region, on Saturday said he too was approached.

He is number 197 out of a total of 272 delegates on the list of eligible voters.

“On my way to Metro at Swakopmund. I was stopped by Haindaka to sign a petition to call off the annual general meeting (AGM), or I will not sleep at the bungalows,” he said.

Indongo blamed Saturday’s chaos on Esther Simon’s delegates.

Haindaka yesterday denied the allegations, saying: “I do not work for the NYC. Accommodation was organised by them, so go ask them.”

SPYL central committee member Sharonice Busch, who is also accused of forcing delegates to sign a petition, yesterday denied any involvement.

“I have no knowledge of such a petition and I am not attending the AGM. It’s all lies,” she said.

Saturday’s chaos forced the police to intervene as both Simon and Taapopi’s camps were involved in scuffles.

The spraying of teargas led to some delegates allegedly fainting and being rushed to hospital.

The chaos reportedly started during the opening of the proceedings when a dispute over captured names on the voting list erupted.

Some names on the list were allegedly not eligible to vote and others were omitted.

‘DISMANTLE COUNCIL’

Youth activist Simon Kanepolo says the law should be amended to allow NYC board directors and chief executives to be sourced through public advertising for a period of three years.

They must be younger than 35, he says.

“The fundamental problem lies within the institutional design of NYC itself. The act created an arrangement involving that the executive chairperson effectively serves as both the political head and full-time executive leader of the organisation,” he says.

He says this contradicts widely accepted corporate governance principles, weakens accountability mechanisms, and often undermines the authority of the director.

“Without institutional reform, leadership changes alone will not solve the organisation’s recurring challenges,” Kanepolo says.

Simon yesterday said it is unfortunate that events unfolded in the manner they did this weekend.

She said administrative and procedural irregularities that emerged during the assembly made it difficult for the process to proceed in a credible and orderly manner.

“While I would have preferred for the process to be concluded, it is important that any election of this magnitude is conducted transparently, fairly, and in full compliance with the relevant procedures,” she said.

Simon said she would not be pressing charges following the incidents that resulted in injuries during the assembly.

She said the situation could, however, have been handled differently by all parties involved.

“Violence should never be a means of resolving disagreements,” Simon said.

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