SWAPO Party Youth League facts for kids

Quick facts for kids SWAPO Party Youth League
Secretary General	Ephraim Nekongo
Founded	1969
Headquarters	Windhoek Khomas Region
Mother party	SWAPO
International affiliation	International Union of Socialist Youth (IUSY) World Federation of Democratic Youth (WFDY)
Magazine	Oshinyanga

The SWAPO Party Youth League (SPYL) is the youth group of the SWAPO Party. SWAPO is the main political party in Namibia. It has been the ruling party since 1990. SPYL shares the same goals and ideas as the SWAPO Party. It used to be called the SWAPO Youth League (SYL).

How the SWAPO Youth League Started

SPYL began in 1969. This happened after a big meeting of the SWAPO party in Tanzania. They created a new set of rules for the organization.

In 1971, a major court called the International Court of Justice made an important decision. It said that South Africa's control over Namibia was against the law. At this time, many people in Namibia were very unhappy. This was because of a plan called the Odendaal Plan. This plan aimed to create separate areas for different groups of people.

The Youth League protested strongly in schools and colleges. They also joined a large strike in 1971 and 1972. This strike was a very important moment in Namibia's fight to become independent. In 1973, there was also a school boycott in northern Namibia. This was against a policy called Bantustan, which also aimed to separate people.

Because of these protests, many young leaders were arrested. They were sent to prison at Robben Island. Some of these leaders included Nashilongo Taapopi, Jerry Ekandjo, and Martin Kapewasha.

In May 1974, a big change happened in Portugal. This made it possible for young Namibians to leave their country through Angola. Thousands of young people left Namibia between May and December 1974. They went to join SWAPO groups outside the country. Many of them joined the People's Liberation Army of Namibia (PLAN).

A youth activist named Keshii Pelao Nathanael led the young people inside Namibia. He and his group organized many of the strikes. In 1974, he was chosen as the first president of the SWAPO Youth League at a meeting in Oniipa. After this, he also went to live outside Namibia.

How the Youth League is Organized

The SWAPO Party Youth League has a special set of rules called its constitution. These rules explain how the group is organized. The main parts of SPYL are:

• The Congress: This is the highest group that makes decisions for SPYL.
• The Central Committee: This group helps manage SPYL's activities.
• The National Executive Committee: This committee carries out the decisions made by the Congress and Central Committee.

The SPYL constitution also explains the jobs of its main leaders. These leaders include:

• The Secretary, who is also the SPYL President
• The Deputy Secretary
• The Secretary for Finance and Administration (manages money)
• The Secretary for Information, Publicity and Mobilisation (shares news and organizes people)
• The Secretary for International Affairs (handles relationships with other countries' youth groups)
• The Secretary for Labour and Justice (deals with workers' rights and legal matters)
• The Secretary for Education, SWAPO Pioneer Movement and Culture (focuses on learning and culture)
• The Secretary for Economic Affairs (looks at money and business matters)
• The Secretary for Health, Population and Environment (deals with health and nature)
• Two other members who help out

Leaders of the Youth League

Over the years, many people have led the SWAPO Party Youth League. Here are some of them:

• Sheeli Shangula
• Keshii Nathanael, from 1974 to 1976
• Ignatius Shixwameni, from 1987 to 1997
• Paulus Kapia, from 1997 to 2007
• Elijah Ngurare, from 2007 to 2015
• Veikko Nekundi, who was acting leader from 2015 to 2017
• Ephraim Tuhadeleni Nekongo, who has been the leader since 2017

Well-Known Members

Many people who were part of the SWAPO Party Youth League later became important leaders in Namibia. Some of these notable members include:

• Job Amupanda, who was a former SPYL Secretary for Information.
• Jerry Ekandjo, a former government minister, who was a member of SPYL from 1963 to 1979.
• Natangwe Ithete, who is now a Deputy Prime Minister and Minister. He was also the Secretary of Education for SPYL from 2007 to 2012.
• Elia Irimari, a former governor of the Oshana Region and a former SPYL activist.
• Ndali Che Kamati, who is now Namibia's Ambassador to Russia. He was a vice-president of the International Union of Students and an SPYL activist in the 1980s.
• Naftali Kambungu, who is a vice-president of the World Federation of Democratic Youth. He was also the Secretary of Labour and Justice for SPYL from 2012 to 2015.
• Kazenambo Kazenambo, a former government minister, who was on the SPYL central committee from 1991 to 2002.
• Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, who is the current Prime Minister of Namibia. She was the Secretary of Economic Affairs for SPYL from 1997 to 2002.
• Peya Mushelenga, a former Minister of International Relations and Cooperation. He was also the Secretary of International Affairs for SPYL from 2007 to 2012.
• Charles Ndaxu Namoloh, a former Minister of Safety and Security. He left Namibia with SPYL in 1974.
• Sackeus Shanghala, a former Minister of Justice. He was also the Secretary of Labour and Justice for SPYL from 2007 to 2012.
• Pohamba Shifeta, a former Minister of Environment and Tourism. He was also a central committee member of SPYL from 1997 to 2002.
• Piet van der Walt, a government minister and businessperson.

See also

• Democratic Co-operative Party