By Sostenus Wilherm
The SWAPO Party Youth League (SPYL) secretary Ephraim Nekongo is keeping cards close to his chest regarding simmering infighting, suspensions and political bickering rearing its horns within the wing’s Kavango East regional leadership.
This follows what party insiders describe as a period of fierce and clandestine manoeuvring after the resignation of SPYL Kavango East regional secretary Anselm Marungu who was appointed as deputy minister of environment and tourism in April this year.
His appointment left only embattled regional mobiliser Bibiana Shapi and regional treasurer Rauna Ntjamba in that structure, assisted by the regional executive committee (REC).
However, sources told Confidente that Marungu’s preferred candidate to replace him is Ntjamba while Shapi, who is the most senior leader in the structure, is perceived to be thorn to these plans.
Accordingly, Shapi was poised to act as regional secretary until such a time that the regional executive calls for an extraordinary elective conference to fill the vacancy.
Furthermore, it is understood that the regional structure has since postponed two planned elective meetings, one in April and another at the end of May. This is seen as a way to prevent Shapi from temporarily elevating to that top job.
The so-called political shenanigans have led to the recent suspension of Shapi from the leadership structure by the regional executive “pending an investigation into allegations brought before the SPYL REC”.
A decision which Shapi has challenged by writing to Nekongo, the SPYL national executive committee, SWAPO Party Kavango East Regional coordinator Ottilie Shinduvi and chairperson of the SPYL leaders assigned to that region Ileni Shilongo on 2June 2026.
Speaking to Confidente, Shapi said that as far as she is concerned, she remains in the job and that suspension attempts are simply propaganda.
When contacted for comment, Nekongo said: “I have not received any information yet about any suspension. What I know is that we have sent a team to that region to facilitate the conference, what was called is a conference. I am waiting for the report to come to me. Because the suspension cannot (take place) (sic)… Who chaired that meeting? There was no chairperson who to chair a REC meeting. As far as I am concerned, I only know that the leader assigned went there to facilitate for the elections of a regional leader to replace Marungu. For this reason, I took that he (Marungu) resigned and [because] he resigned, there was no chairperson for that (REC) meeting. If the chairperson had resigned and the secretary is the one that chaired that meeting, I have not received that report. I am yet to receive that report.”
On his part, Marungu distanced himself from the ongoing internal regional strife, maintaining that he had resigned from the his portfolio.
“I actually resigned already even before that conference that was supposed to happen recently, due to national responsibility that I have as a councillor, member of national councillor and deputy minister. I then resigned to allow the next person to finish what is there because my time is really not there,” Marungu explained.
“I also saw the[Shapi’s} suspension on social media. Apparently, there is an audio, [Shapi] and the uncle were trying to strategize on how to remove some of the elected district secretaries and some regional members. I think [that is] what I heard in the corridos, maybe that is what has led to the suspension. She has also maybe discussed vetting outcomes with an unauthorised person, who is an uncle and who is not part of the structure. That is what I heard,” he added.
Meanwhile, when asked whether the mother body was aware of the political instability within its wing and what steps it plans on taking to ensure a legal and constitutional extraordinary conference should youth fail to do so, SWAPO Party deputy secretary general Uahekua Herunga noted: “About SWAPO Party Youth League things contact Nekongo, he will give you relevant information”.
