The United Democratic Front (UDF) did not elect a new leadership after the party’s outgoing leaders allegedly failed to present a financial report at the UDF’s elective congress at Swakopmund on Saturday.
The congress is the UDF’s first in 10 years, after its last congress in 2013.
The congress at Swakopmund, attended by more than 500 delegates, had only one agenda item, which was the election of a new leadership.
All party structures were dissolved by the congress before the leadership tabled their reports.
Members accused the leaders of not affording them an opportunity to ask questions about the party’s activities.
The party’s outgoing president, Apius Auchab, did not present his report either.
“We were supposed to ask a question before the keynote speaker [Auxab]. Let’s just go eat lunch and proceed with elections because the people were voted out of power,” said one delegate.
Political analyst Rui Tyitende, who is attending the congress, explained the importance of having reports before the next leadership comes into power.
“There is nothing of that sort. The delegates didn’t receive it before the congress, and they expected to get it at the congress, but they didn’t,” he said.
Tyitende added that delays and changes in congress venues were delaying tactics.
The congress was initially scheduled for 2022, but did not take place then.
Last year, the party scheduled the congress for 25 November at Okombahe, but called it off without providing a reason.
The 2024 congress was initially planned to take place at Otjiwarongo, but was moved to Swakopmund on Thursday.
Attempts to obtain comments from the party leadership were unsuccessful as they were locked in a closed-door meeting.
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