![front 1](https://investigations.namibian.com.na/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/front-1-1.jpg)
By Tileni Mongudhi
WHEN Swapo’s elite gathered five years ago for former president Sam Nujoma’s birthday, Elijah Ngurare, dressed in modest blue overalls, was there to welcome them to a party at a farm near Otavi.
The event, held at the Etunda Family Trust Farm owned by Nujoma, attracted the who’s who in Swapo’s power circles.
Ngurare’s mere presence was a remarkable signal of support for the firebrand youth league leader who just two weeks earlier had won a court battle, forcing Swapo to reinstate him as a party member.
Ngurare (51) had rankled party leaders with his outspoken criticism around the slow pace of rural development, and what he saw as inaction on creating jobs for young people.
Although he always treated Nujoma with deference, even reverence, he wasn’t afraid of annoying then-president Hifikepunye Pohamba.
![](https://investigations.namibian.com.na/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/front2.jpg)
His stinging tongue landed him in trouble. In 2015, the party’s top-four leaders forced him from his perch as Swapo’s youth leader, and then charged him, along with three others, with bringing the party’s name into disrepute, and with insulting party leaders.
Pohamba and his coterie had hoped that would silence him. Instead, he won the court battle and found himself back under Nujoma’s protective wing.
Their relationship was mutually beneficial. Ngurare spearheaded the 12 May Movement, an annual celebration of Nujoma’s birthday, which had fizzled out after he was ousted.
Asser Ntinda, former editor of Swapo’s newspaper, Namibia Today, says some at the party thought Ngurare was creating a cult of personality around Nujoma while securing his own future.
Ngurare became a political outcast. Attractive jobs bypassed him.
But after 10 years as a pariah, his fortunes began to change in 2021, and his possible return could be likened to the proverbial cat with nine lives.
After the ruling party was battered in the last elections, Ngurare is seen as someone who could help win back voters – even as a presidential contender for a party tainted by the Fishrot corruption scandal.
“Ngurare is the only one who can rescue Swapo,” says Ntinda.
But the people who orchestrated his ousting are still in charge of the party. At the height of his influence, Ngurare worked closely with Swapo’s then secretary general, Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana and presidential hopeful Jerry Ekandjo.
The two former ministers are now political outcasts.
Ngurare’s loyalty to one faction of party leaders became his undoing. Geingob and Pohamba allies dominated the politburo and endorsed Ngurare’s dismissal.
Ngurare was unmoved. He told Geingob that “I doubt you are qualified to judge me, because, to put it simply, my sins are younger than yours”.
Remarkably, the Ngurare-led Swapo Party Youth League (SPYL) championed the ‘guided democracy’ notion which played a leading role in Geingob’s re-emergence to the pinnacle of Swapo power in 2007.
Even after the High Court invalidated his dismissal in 2016, the Swapo leadership kept him out in the cold. Until now.
In the corridors of power, support is allegedly building for Ngurare’s return to the political fold. What’s unclear is if his old enemies have changed their minds.
“I am a civil servant,” Ngurare said when asked about his political ambitions. He refused to be drawn into any discussion about a possible presidential run. Since 2020, he has headed rural water projects at the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform, and he insists that is his only focus.
Allies of Ngurare have told The Namibian he would welcome a return to politics, but is wary of making any such pronouncements.
Civil servants are barred from actively participating in politics.
RASTA REBELS
Tjitunga Elijah Ngurare Manongo was born on 28 October 1970 at Nkurenkuru in the Kavango West region.
Some of his schools include Nkurenkuru High School, Shashipapo Secondary School, Rundu Senior Secondary School, and Kolin Foundation Secondary School at Arandis.
He joined Swapo in 1986, but had been active in politics since 1983 at Nkurenkuru High School. He was also part of a music group, the Rasta Rebels, at Kaisosi, Rundu.
After matric, Ngurare approached Geingob’s office in 1992, asking for financial assistance to study abroad.
Geingob – who was then the prime minister – allegedly declined to assist him at the time.
Ngurare went on to study water resources management in the United States, international comparative water law in the United Kingdom, and environmental law in Ireland.
After studying for a decade, he returned tech savvy that was novel at the time. He typed his own notes on a laptop while others still had secretaries doing that. He was an early adopter of social media, putting SPYL in front of young eyes.
When a corruption scandal forced Paulus Kapia out of the party in 2005, Ngurare took over the youth league, and focused its attention on expanding access to water, sanitation and housing.
He quickly started writing propaganda articles for Namibia Today, and served on the board of the party’s business wing, Kalahari Holdings.
He was involved in setting up the Swapo think tank and played a role in organising the party’s first-ever policy conference in 2012.
“This all formed part of his dream of making a difference in the lives of the poor,” says Henny Seibeb, deputy leader of the Landless People’s Movement (LPM).
At a time when others used politics to win instant business opportunities, Ngurare led a modest life.
He mostly lived in Swapo accommodation and drove a party car. He forfeited well-paying job opportunities his academic qualifications could have won him.
By 2004, Ngurare’s brand of politics had captivated the youth. He recruited stars like Gazza, The Dogg, and Girl Level to perform at party events – creating his own brand of ‘politainment’.
His focus on service delivery inspired fellow youth leaders to bluntly challenge Pohamba.
They also coined the mantra “we remain unwavering, uncompromising and patriotically stubborn”, when taking on senior politicians over a lack of service delivery.
‘A-LIAR NGURARE’
Not everyone was pleased with Ngurare’s rise in party ranks.
The late former youth minister, Kazenambo Kazenambo, who initially supported Geingob’s presidency, once rejected Ngurare’s re-election as youth league boss.
The late politician called Ngurare “a fake” and a “political ghost”, who appeared as if out of nowhere in 2000. The two would later reconcile.
In June 2013, Swapo hosted an extraordinary congress at Swakopmund with only one item on the agenda: whether 50/50 gender representation in all leadership structures is required.
This resulted in a historic triumph for women.
But the headlines were dominated by a sideshow, the near dismissal of the entire SPYL leadership.
On the eve of the congress, three reporters, including this writer, met with a few SPYL leaders at Swakopmund.
Discussions among them around politics became heated. Swapo had suspended the entire SPYL leadership and revoked their accreditation, barring them from the congress.
During the discussions, SPYL’s divisions were laid bare. Ngurare faced a mutiny. The splits aligned with divisions over whether to support Geingob for president, but also over Ngurare himself.
“All these problems are caused by A-liar Ngurare,” one youth leader said at that gathering.
That night, some of Ngurare’s own comrades accused him of being dictatorial, vindictive and manipulative.
But former youth leaders, such as Julius Nyerere Namoloh defended Ngurare. He said Ngurare encouraged open debate.
Ngurare was said to have spearheaded a purge of Rally for Democracy (RDP) sympathisers from the government.
Some alleged he had even prevented people from attending weddings and other social events for fear of being linked to the RDP.
‘HYPOCRISY’
Former NamRights director Phil ya Nangoloh says Ngurare is prone to hypocrisy.
“His behaviour is that of a person who says one thing and does the opposite,” Ya Nangoloh says.
“Personally he is not a bad person. Politically he is an intolerant demigod, however.”
He says he has told Ngurare that his spearheading of the 12 May Movement was “intolerant of other people’s views”.
Ya Nangoloh had squared off with Ngurare in 2007 after he made a submission to the International Criminal Court (ICC) that Nujoma be tried for war crimes over the deaths of Namibians in Swapo’s custody during the liberation struggle.
He claimed Ngurare had urged his subordinates to take up “bazookas and machine guns” against him [Ya Nangoloh] because of the petition to the ICC.
“It is wishful thinking for him to want to be president,” Ya Nangoloh says. “I view him as a general without an army. Ngurare does not have the required support base within the ruling party.”
THE DIE IS CAST
Around 2009, Ngurare almost faced charges for his proximity to the Children of the Liberation Struggle, also known as Exile Kids, who were demanding jobs at the time.
Three years later, he faced three new suspension motions at the SPYL central committee. In one instance a disciplinary committee was selected, but he survived all three motions.
Ngurare’s detractors again tried to vote him out at the SPYL 2012 congress. Namoloh was urged to challenge him, but declined to run.
“The youth league and its leadership were on top of their game when Ngurare was leading,” Namoloh said in January this year.
Some Swapo leaders linked Ngurare’s fall from grace to the Affirmative Repositioning movement, championed by three other youth leaders: Job Amupanda, Dimbulukeni Nauyoma, and George Kambala.
Swapo’s lawyer told the Windhoek High Court that Ngurare was the “ideological godfather” of the AR – a movement that aims to help the youth benefit from land reform – but Swapo’s top brass saw it as a threat.
The arguments did not hold up in court. But even after Ngurare won the case, the Swapo leadership kept trying to sideline him.
The onslaught continued with support from his deputy at the time, Veikko Nekundi.
Ngurare faced calls for his removal at the Swapo central committee and politburo.
Finally, in 2015 the die was cast: Ngurare was expelled without a disciplinary process.
He became an outcast and found refuge at the agriculture ministry.
His supporters were stigmatised and were purged from party structures.
With the Swapo congress looming, this year could either mark his political return, or signal more years on the political bench.
- This article was produced by The Namibian’s Investigative Unit. Send story tips via your secure email to [email protected]
pin-up 141: pin up 306 – pin up az?rbaycan
pin-up online casino https://azerbaijancuisine.com/# pin-up oyunu
pin up az
mexico pharmacy: northern doctors – п»їbest mexican online pharmacies
https://northern-doctors.org/# pharmacies in mexico that ship to usa
medicine in mexico pharmacies: mexican pharmacy northern doctors – mexican online pharmacies prescription drugs
mexican border pharmacies shipping to usa [url=https://northern-doctors.org/#]Mexico pharmacy that ship to usa[/url] mexican drugstore online
mexico drug stores pharmacies: mexican pharmacy online – buying prescription drugs in mexico
best online pharmacies in mexico: mexican pharmacy – mexican pharmacy
pharmacies in mexico that ship to usa [url=http://northern-doctors.org/#]mexican northern doctors[/url] mexico pharmacies prescription drugs
buying prescription drugs in mexico: Mexico pharmacy that ship to usa – mexico pharmacies prescription drugs
https://northern-doctors.org/# mexico pharmacies prescription drugs
mexico drug stores pharmacies: mexican northern doctors – mexico pharmacy
mexico pharmacy: Mexico pharmacy that ship to usa – п»їbest mexican online pharmacies
mexican rx online: northern doctors – mexico pharmacy
buying prescription drugs in mexico [url=https://northern-doctors.org/#]northern doctors[/url] purple pharmacy mexico price list
https://northern-doctors.org/# mexican border pharmacies shipping to usa
п»їbest mexican online pharmacies: Mexico pharmacy that ship to usa – mexico drug stores pharmacies
mexico drug stores pharmacies: mexican pharmacy northern doctors – п»їbest mexican online pharmacies
http://northern-doctors.org/# buying prescription drugs in mexico online
mexican border pharmacies shipping to usa: mexican northern doctors – reputable mexican pharmacies online
buying prescription drugs in mexico online: northern doctors pharmacy – buying prescription drugs in mexico online
https://northern-doctors.org/# mexican pharmacy
medicine in mexico pharmacies: mexican drugstore online – mexican rx online
mexican rx online [url=http://northern-doctors.org/#]Mexico pharmacy that ship to usa[/url] medication from mexico pharmacy
https://northern-doctors.org/# mexico drug stores pharmacies
https://northern-doctors.org/# mexican border pharmacies shipping to usa
mexican drugstore online: buying prescription drugs in mexico – mexican rx online
mexican online pharmacies prescription drugs [url=https://northern-doctors.org/#]Mexico pharmacy that ship to usa[/url] п»їbest mexican online pharmacies
mexican online pharmacies prescription drugs: northern doctors – mexican pharmacy
https://northern-doctors.org/# п»їbest mexican online pharmacies
mexico drug stores pharmacies: northern doctors – pharmacies in mexico that ship to usa
https://northern-doctors.org/# medication from mexico pharmacy
mexico drug stores pharmacies: mexican pharmacy northern doctors – medicine in mexico pharmacies
medicine in mexico pharmacies: mexican pharmacy northern doctors – mexico pharmacy
https://northern-doctors.org/# mexico pharmacy
buying prescription drugs in mexico online: mexican northern doctors – pharmacies in mexico that ship to usa
reputable mexican pharmacies online [url=https://northern-doctors.org/#]Mexico pharmacy that ship to usa[/url] medication from mexico pharmacy
medicine in mexico pharmacies: mexican pharmacy northern doctors – buying prescription drugs in mexico online
https://northern-doctors.org/# mexico drug stores pharmacies
buying prescription drugs in mexico online: mexican pharmacy online – mexican border pharmacies shipping to usa
https://northern-doctors.org/# mexico pharmacy
mexican mail order pharmacies: mexican pharmacy northern doctors – mexican pharmaceuticals online
mexican drugstore online: mexican pharmacy – mexican rx online
http://northern-doctors.org/# mexican border pharmacies shipping to usa
buying from online mexican pharmacy: northern doctors – pharmacies in mexico that ship to usa
mexican pharmaceuticals online: mexican pharmacy – п»їbest mexican online pharmacies
https://northern-doctors.org/# reputable mexican pharmacies online
mexican mail order pharmacies [url=https://northern-doctors.org/#]northern doctors pharmacy[/url] buying prescription drugs in mexico online
п»їbest mexican online pharmacies: mexican pharmacy online – best online pharmacies in mexico
https://northern-doctors.org/# purple pharmacy mexico price list
best online pharmacies in mexico: northern doctors pharmacy – purple pharmacy mexico price list
medication from mexico pharmacy: northern doctors pharmacy – mexican pharmacy
http://northern-doctors.org/# mexican drugstore online
medication from mexico pharmacy: medication from mexico pharmacy – mexican border pharmacies shipping to usa
https://northern-doctors.org/# buying prescription drugs in mexico online
mexican mail order pharmacies: northern doctors pharmacy – reputable mexican pharmacies online
mexican mail order pharmacies [url=https://northern-doctors.org/#]northern doctors pharmacy[/url] buying prescription drugs in mexico online
https://northern-doctors.org/# medication from mexico pharmacy
mexico drug stores pharmacies: Mexico pharmacy that ship to usa – medication from mexico pharmacy
https://cmqpharma.online/# mexican online pharmacies prescription drugs
п»їbest mexican online pharmacies
mexico pharmacy [url=https://cmqpharma.com/#]cmq mexican pharmacy online[/url] mexico drug stores pharmacies
best online pharmacies in mexico [url=https://cmqpharma.online/#]cmq pharma mexican pharmacy[/url] mexican border pharmacies shipping to usa
medication from mexico pharmacy: cmqpharma.com – п»їbest mexican online pharmacies
п»їbest mexican online pharmacies [url=https://cmqpharma.online/#]mexican pharmacy[/url] buying from online mexican pharmacy
mexico drug stores pharmacies [url=https://cmqpharma.online/#]cmq pharma mexican pharmacy[/url] mexican pharmaceuticals online
mexican rx online [url=https://cmqpharma.online/#]mexico pharmacy[/url] pharmacies in mexico that ship to usa
medication from mexico pharmacy
https://cmqpharma.com/# best online pharmacies in mexico
mexican online pharmacies prescription drugs
best online pharmacies in mexico [url=https://cmqpharma.online/#]cmq pharma mexican pharmacy[/url] mexico drug stores pharmacies
medication from mexico pharmacy [url=https://cmqpharma.com/#]cmq pharma[/url] buying prescription drugs in mexico
mexico drug stores pharmacies [url=https://cmqpharma.com/#]cmq pharma[/url] mexican mail order pharmacies
http://cmqpharma.com/# best online pharmacies in mexico
mexican pharmacy
hello there and thank you for your info – I
have definitely picked up something new from right
here. I did however expertise a few technical points using this website, since I experienced to reload the site lots of times previous to I could get it to load correctly.
I had been wondering if your hosting is OK? Not that I am complaining, but sluggish loading instances times will sometimes affect your placement in google and could damage your quality score if ads and marketing with Adwords.
Anyway I’m adding this RSS to my email and can look out for a
lot more of your respective exciting content.
Ensure that you update this again very soon..
Escape rooms
Very interesting information!Perfect just what I was searching for!!
mexican online pharmacies prescription drugs
http://cmqpharma.com/# medicine in mexico pharmacies
mexico drug stores pharmacies
buying from online mexican pharmacy: mexican pharmaceuticals online – mexican rx online
medicine in mexico pharmacies
https://cmqpharma.com/# purple pharmacy mexico price list
mexico drug stores pharmacies
buying from online mexican pharmacy: mexican mail order pharmacies – buying prescription drugs in mexico online
cheapest online pharmacy india: indianpharmacy com – cheapest online pharmacy india
buy prescription drugs from india [url=https://indiapharmast.com/#]Online medicine order[/url] mail order pharmacy india
buy prescription drugs from india: reputable indian online pharmacy – top 10 pharmacies in india
https://foruspharma.com/# п»їbest mexican online pharmacies
п»їlegitimate online pharmacies india: indian pharmacies safe – best india pharmacy
reputable mexican pharmacies online [url=https://foruspharma.com/#]mexico pharmacies prescription drugs[/url] mexican rx online
п»їbest mexican online pharmacies: mexican online pharmacies prescription drugs – mexican border pharmacies shipping to usa
best online pharmacy india: indian pharmacy online – п»їlegitimate online pharmacies india
indian pharmacy paypal: india pharmacy mail order – buy prescription drugs from india
Online medicine home delivery [url=http://indiapharmast.com/#]top 10 pharmacies in india[/url] indian pharmacy paypal
http://foruspharma.com/# mexican drugstore online
legitimate canadian pharmacy online: canadian pharmacy online store – canadian family pharmacy
mexican drugstore online: mexico drug stores pharmacies – mexican drugstore online
legal canadian pharmacy online: canadian drug prices – canada pharmacy 24h
online canadian pharmacy [url=https://canadapharmast.com/#]canadian mail order pharmacy[/url] canadian pharmacies compare
buying from online mexican pharmacy: mexico pharmacies prescription drugs – mexican pharmacy
http://foruspharma.com/# п»їbest mexican online pharmacies
Right here is the right website for anybody who wants to understand this topic. You know a whole lot its almost tough to argue with you (not that I really would want to…HaHa). You definitely put a fresh spin on a subject that’s been written about for years. Great stuff, just excellent.
mexican drugstore online: buying from online mexican pharmacy – mexican online pharmacies prescription drugs
mexican drugstore online: buying prescription drugs in mexico online – purple pharmacy mexico price list
http://paxloviddelivery.pro/# paxlovid india
https://doxycyclinedelivery.pro/# doxycycline 75 mg price
how to buy clomid without dr prescription [url=http://clomiddelivery.pro/#]buy clomid no prescription[/url] how to get generic clomid tablets
http://clomiddelivery.pro/# how to get generic clomid pills
best price for prescription doxycycline: doxcyclene – where to buy doxycycline in australia
There is certainly a great deal to know about this topic. I love all the points you made.
http://paxloviddelivery.pro/# paxlovid price
doxycycline order online canada [url=http://doxycyclinedelivery.pro/#]doxcyclene[/url] doxycycline cheap uk
https://paxloviddelivery.pro/# paxlovid pill
I was able to find good advice from your blog posts.
how to get clomid without insurance: where to buy generic clomid now – cost generic clomid without dr prescription
https://ciprodelivery.pro/# п»їcipro generic
how much is doxycycline 100mg [url=http://doxycyclinedelivery.pro/#]doxycycline 100mg tablets nz[/url] doxycycline prices australia
http://ciprodelivery.pro/# cipro pharmacy
http://ciprodelivery.pro/# п»їcipro generic
http://amoxildelivery.pro/# amoxicillin 500 mg price
amoxicillin 825 mg [url=http://amoxildelivery.pro/#]where to get amoxicillin over the counter[/url] where can i buy amoxicillin online
generic amoxicillin 500mg: buy amoxicillin – generic amoxicillin
http://amoxildelivery.pro/# purchase amoxicillin online without prescription
https://paxloviddelivery.pro/# paxlovid pharmacy
paxlovid pill [url=https://paxloviddelivery.pro/#]Paxlovid buy online[/url] п»їpaxlovid
paxlovid india: buy paxlovid online – paxlovid buy
https://ciprodelivery.pro/# ciprofloxacin 500 mg tablet price
https://doxycyclinedelivery.pro/# doxycycline capsule 100mg price
cipro online no prescription in the usa [url=http://ciprodelivery.pro/#]buy ciprofloxacin over the counter[/url] ciprofloxacin mail online
http://doxycyclinedelivery.pro/# doxycycline online singapore
clomid no prescription: where buy clomid pills – where to buy cheap clomid without dr prescription
Great blog you’ve got here.. It’s difficult to find excellent writing like yours nowadays. I honestly appreciate people like you! Take care!!
https://paxloviddelivery.pro/# buy paxlovid online
buy doxycycline over the counter [url=https://doxycyclinedelivery.pro/#]doxycycline cost australia[/url] buy doxycycline 200 mg
http://doxycyclinedelivery.pro/# buy doxycycline without prescription
can i buy clomid prices: where to buy clomid online – cost generic clomid without insurance
Paxlovid over the counter: Paxlovid over the counter – п»їpaxlovid