By Eliaser Ndeyanale
DTA youth league (DTAYL) has threatened to take Government to Court if it goes ahead with its plan of building a new Parliament building worth N$2.2 billion.
DTA youth league secretary Benson Katjirijova condemns the plan to build a new Parliament building citing that it is not a priority and the masses on the ground are facing burning issues such as poverty, hunger and lack of proper housing that Government needs to address as a priority.
In an exclusive interview with Confidente in Windhoek last week, Katjirijova said there was no need to build a new building.
“They must renovate and expand the existing building and use the remaining money to build hospitals, roads and classrooms.
“The new parliament is not for national interest. Why can’t Government renovate hospitals and build new ones? The population of Windhoek has grown and the health institutions can no longer accommodated patients. People are dying every day in the corridors of Katutura and Central hospitals but Government doesn’t do anything. All they do is to buy Mercedes Benz for themselves. Why would you want to spend N$2 billion on something that will benefit only 104 people?” he asked. In another development he implored all people irrespective of their political affiliation to support DTAYL when it takes the Government to court. He has also instructed the Government to spend money where it is needed.
“They are not at those positions to serve themselves but to serve the people on the ground. When they are told not to use a lot of money, they are boasting about their liberation credentials without noticing that the war has ended.” The 2016 to 2017 development budget tabled in the National Assembly last month allocates N$2 billion for the construction, renovation and improvement of the new parliament building, while the other N$260 million is for feasibility study, design and supervision, however, the exorbitant prices were heavily criticised by Deputy Minister of Lands Bernadus Swartbooi when he told the National Assembly that he did not support the proposed project. Swartbooi said there were other priorities such as the provision of water and sanitation. “I support the vote to expand, improve and plan ahead consistently.
I don’t support a new parliament building that will cost either N$700 million or N$2 billion. I don’t support it.”
Last month DTA president McHenry Venaani tweeted, “In the 90s we built a National Council building yet again they need a new chamber are we thinking country or personal interest? Pro-poor means something different to my adversaries what is pro-poor about constructing a N$2 billion Parliament while 2400 classrooms are needed?”

By Confidente Reporter
IN an alleged case of torture, an 11 year-old boy from Groot Aub had his little finger on his left hand chopped off with a panga by a resident in a bid to punish him for reportedly trespassing.
The gruesome act was discovered by officials from the Ombudsman’s office during a January 22 visit to the area who described the incident a serious human right violation committed against David Koch.
Investigations deputy director in the Ombudsman’s office, Timothy Shangadi said that the matter would have gone unpunished after the child’s mother, Gwedoline and the suspect a certain Joao agreed to settle out of court for N$2 000. According to Shangadi the suspect had also threatened the boy’s mother with counter charges had she opened a case against him.
The incident according to Shangadi happened between September and October last year when the victim was reportedly found wandering around the suspect’s property. The suspect reportedly concluded that the minor had the intention to break into his house to steal. He then ordered his two unnamed accomplices to run after the minor, caught him and used a panga to cut off his finger. “We picked up the matter during one of our visits to the area but learned that there was no case opened. We took it up with the police and eventually a case was registered against the suspect. A case on CR17/02/2016 opened after we alerted the police. On our side we closed the file because the relevant authorities have taken over.” Shangadi said. Shangadi said that although the mother approached local police at the time of the incident, she was only given a J88 form to seek medical attention before returning with the completed forms by medical practitioners to open a police case.
Upon return to the police station the following day, the mother was reportedly in the company of the suspect and together told police that they had agreed the accused would foot the boy’s medical expenses.
Meanwhile, Groot Aub police station commander, Warrant Ithete confirmed the suspect’s arrest adding that investigations into the matter continue. Ithete also explained that initially there was no case opened against the suspect and that justice into the matter was now taking its course.
“We do not understand how the mother and the suspect could get into an agreement without the police knowing in such a serious case. Investigations are ongoing, the suspect was arrested and already appeared in court. The child and his mother are now receiving counselling,” Ithete said

By Confidente Reporter
A Windhoek man, Martin Simwanza has opened a case of abuse of power against a Grootfontein magistrate, Stanley Tembwe with the Magistrate Commission after Tembwe allegedly used his position to have Simwanza arraigned in a criminal court over a public social media spat the two were involved in.
According to a letter of complaint, Simwanza wrote in Confidente’s possession he alleges that his family and Tembwe were involved in a land dispute in Katima Mulilo last December during the Christmas festive holiday. Simwanza further alleges that after the dispute Tembwe posted derogatory messages on social media referring to his family as uneducated people and forbid the Simwanzas from ever talking to him.
“I insulted him while I was still in Katima Mulilo for holiday. Mr Tembwe went ahead and opened a case of crimen injuria in Grootfontein where he works as a Magistrate. Summons were sent to me in February for me to appear in the Grootfontein Magistrate’s Court on February 29 2016. The content of the summons was not explained to me properly and as a result I refused to sign them. After refusing to sign them a warrant of arrest was issued from Grootfontein and I was arrested on March 15 2016 by two police officers from Grootfontein. I appeared in court the following day on March 16 2016 on a Wednesday,” he said.
Simwanza said he was alarmed during court proceedings to find out that the prosecutor on the matter (identity known to Confidente) is a relative of Tembwe and both are stationed at the Grootfontein Magistrate’s Court.
Simwanza further alleges that the Magistrate who presided over his case was also a known personal friend and colleague of Tembwe based at the Grootfontein Magistrate’s Court as well.
“I was given a fine of N$1000 for contempt of court and bail for N$800 for crimen injuria and then the case was postponed to May 3 2016. I want clarity from the commission if there is provision in Act 51 of 1997 of the Criminal Procedure Act as amended, where a Magistrate has a right to open a criminal matter based on Facebook posts. Further the issue of jurisdiction if it’s to suffice that indeed the Magistrate could have opened a charge of crimen injuria on matters that were posted on Facebook whilst in the Zambezi region, why then was I summoned to appear in Grootfontein Court, clearly the conduct of Mr Tembwe and others who all happen to be from the Zambezi region and as earlier alluded to are familiar to each other abused their positions in their official capacity to punish me on a matter resulting from social media.” Simwanza said he wants the Magistrates Commission and the Prosecutor General’s office to look into the matter and establish whether Tembwe is not abusing his powers by using his office to settle personal problems between their two families. He added that it was unfair and unheard off that Tembwe’s cousin should be appointed prosecutor in the matter as well as Tembwe’s friend presiding over the matter as Magistrate.
“The fine of N$1000 for contempt of court and the bail for N$800 for crimen injuria are unreasonable because in my view even though I am layman in legal related matters such a fine and bail do not fill the offences alleged to have been committed but to settle a score in favour of Mr Tembwe who wants to use our judicial courts to solve land and tribal problems that our two families are involved in at Katima Mulilo (sic).
“It’s in my view that our judiciary cannot afford to sit idle and watch these kinds of corrupt magistrates and prosecutors destroying the trust that our citizens are having in our justice system.”
Lusia Shilongo, Secretary to the Magistrates Commission, Tuesday confirmed that the commission had received a complaint against Tembwe.
“I hereby confirm that the Commission received and discussed such a complaint and it will be responded to by not later than next week.”
Tembwe refused to comment on the matter and referred Confidente to the Magistrates Commission.

By Confidente Reporter
IN a clear case of abuse of power, the Speaker of Parliament Professor Peter Katjavivi has decided against the Public Service Commission (PSC) Act to handpick his preferred candidate for the vacant Permanent Secretary for the National Assembly position, a move that has set him on a collision course with Secretary to Cabinet George Simataa who insists that Katjavivi has no right to do so.
Katjavivi has handpicked, the current Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs, Lydia Tjihimise Kandetu to replace Jakes Jacobs who left the position last year.
According to an internal memo written by Katjavivi on February 19 2016, directed to Findley Harker the acting Permanent Secretary of the National Assembly in Confidente’s possession, he (Katjavivi) informed Harker that he had identified Kandetu as the preferred candidate to fill the position of Permanent Secretary.
“In view of the fact that Mr. Joram Rukambe is no longer available to join us, I have conducted further consultation in search of the would be successor to Mr Jakes Jacobs. This exercise has resulted in the identification of Ms Lydia Tjihimise Kandetu as the preferred candidate to fill the position. Ms Kandetu is not a stranger to the National Assembly and to most staff here as well to senior ranks within the Public Service of the Republic of Namibia. “Ms Kandetu is currently serving as the Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Home Affairs. Kindly prepare the necessary documentation and submit in this regard, to the appropriate authorities as soon as possible,” Katjavivi wrote.
However, Harker appears to have hit a brick wall when Simataa dug in and refused to rubber stamp Katjavivi’s decision.
Simataa insisted that proper procedures should be followed in accordance with the PSC Act.
“Article 52 (1) of the Constitution states that the Speaker of the National Assembly shall appoint a person as Secretary of the National Assembly subject to the laws regulating the appointment of Parliamentary staff. Parliamentary staff including the Secretary for the National Assembly are appointed in terms of the Public Service Act, 1995 (Act 13 of 1995). ..In terms of Section 19 (a) of the Public Service Act the appointment of any person to or the promotion or transfer of any staff member in or to the post of Permanent Secretary shall subject to the provisions of section 5 (1), be made from a list of candidates submitted to the Prime Minister by the Secretary to the Cabinet.
“In the case of the post of Secretary to the National Assembly, the approval authority is the Speaker and not the Prime Minister. In terms of Section 5 (1) of the Public Service Act, all appointments are made on the recommendation of the PSC. It has come to the attention that Mr J.K Rukambe declined the offer made to him which has left the post still vacant. The process of filling the post therefore has to be repeated and it is requested that the indicated steps be followed. In this regard, and taking into account the provisions of section 19 (a) of the Public Service Act, I will prepare a list for consideration by the Prime Minister based on the existing data base of potential Permanent Secretaries. The list of potential candidates will then be submitted to the PSC for recommendation and the Speaker of Parliament for approval.” When Kandetu was contacted for comment she said she had applied for the job many years ago.
“I applied for this position some years back and I didn’t make it but I was not told about it lately so this comes as a shock.”
Asked whether she was in any way related or acquainted to Katjavivi, Kandetu said they were not related. “He is not a family friend. I’ve never worked with him but I know him.”
Katjavivi had asked Confidente to send him questions via sms which he had not responded to at the time of going to print.
Simataa had also not responded to enquiries send to him at the time of going to print.

By Eliaser Ndeyanale
SENIOR personal assistant to the Founding Father, John Nauta was sold 18 plots measuring 11 611 square metres by the Onandjaba settlement management and has to pay a paltry N$44 monthly for each plot contrary to calls by the Minister of Urban and Rural Development, Sophia Shaningwa for one plot per person, Confidente has learnt.
The Onandjaba settlement is situated in the Okalongo constituency in the Omusati region.
According to documents in Confidente’s possession, Nauta was sold 18 plots by the management of Okalongo settlement last year. He pays N$44.00 per month for each plot and N$9 504 per year for all the plots.
Speaking to Confidente Monday, a seemingly angry Nauta said he had applied to so many local authorities so he could not remember which ones allocated him land. “Is it your business or why do you want to know what I am going to do with the land? Listen, even if I got it, it’s not for free.”
Meanwhile, President Hage Geingob in his State of the Nation Address on Tuesday, has warned that local and regional authorities no longer have the luxury of time and are required to act with the urgency on the land issue. “The need to urgently avail resources to ensure the provision of affordable land and housing to our people is undeniable.”
Please said the housing and land availability shortages which are increasingly exacerbated by rural-urban migration needs local and regional authorities attention.
Government will never condone illegal land grabs but in the same vein, we will no longer tolerate the slow implementation of agreed upon strategies to resolve these issues, said, in reference to the attempted land grabs in Walvis Bay recently.
“It is with concern we observe the opportunistic attempts to hijack the genuine and valid land concerns of Namibians in order to incite violence and disorder. Other influential politicians who got land include former Okalongo councillor Jhonny Haikela. Haikela got three plots measuring 664 square metres, 483 square metres and another one also measuring 483 square metres. Inquired what he is going to do with the plots and if it not in contrast with the minister’s call, Haikela asked, “What is your interest? Did she send you? Before she (Shaningwa) was appointed as a minister I was already a resident of Okalongo, so what is your point?”
Shavuka Hilde the owner of Leinge Private School situated just a stone’s throw away from the T-junction of the gravel road from Ongenga to Outapi in the settlement has acquired nine plots located at Onandjamba proper. She refused to comment when contacted. “Confidente I cannot comment on that,” she said.
The chairperson of the Namibia Chamber of Commerce Industry in the Okalongo Constituency, Antonius Lungameni got two plots measuring 587 square meters.
Prominent businessman in Okalongo Mwetupunga Josua is the owner of plot 628 measuring 1217 at Onandjamba Extension 2. Hialulwa Paulus who lost in the Swapo party primary held at Okalongo is the proprietor of plots 631 and 632. The plots are measuring 802 and 1230 respectively.
Kalomho Robert a director in the Ministry of works is the holder of plots 686 and 687 also located at Onandjamba Extension 2.
Sources privy to the matter have told Confidente that some people who got massive land in the settlement have started selling them to other people at prices ranging from N$60 000- N$125 000 for their own benefit. Last week Confidente reported that at the moment there are about 8 000 residents who have applied for land, however they were told that there were only 800 vacant plots and that at one point they were told that there were no vacant plots, yet they see how the settlement is selling larger portions of land to their friends.
Some disgruntled residents wrote to the Urban ministry’s permanent secretary Daniel Nghidinua last year requesting the ministry’s intervention. Nghidinua did not respond to questions sent to him.
Control administrative officer at the settlement Armandus Kandowa denied allegations that the land was sold. He also denied that the settlement had defied the minister’s call since the minister only came up with a plot per person call recently.
“We have not sold the land. Those people are leasing. How can you sell land if it belongs to the State? Nauta and others have applied to develop the land but the land is not theirs. It’s not even the first time Nauta is developing residential plots. He did that before at Outapi and those houses have already been sold. I don’t know who is giving you that funny information,” stressed Kandowa.
When Shaningwa was contacted for comment, Tuesday, she said it was high time councils, villages and settlements start taking seriously her call to allocate one plot per person.

By Confidente Reporter

IT appears there’s no light at the end of the tunnel for 240 learners with multiple learning disabilities who in two weeks face being left without a school as the City of Windhoek is yet to respond to their desperate plight for land since 2006.
The more than N$100 000 a month rent is forcing the Welwitschia School for Integrated Learning to shut its doors after 15 years of leasing private-owned properties across Windhoek to carry out its activities.
On March 24, the school board in desperation wrote to Acting CEO Fillemon Hambunda asking why the city lords have not given them a simple yes or no for land to put up temporary school structures following numerous applications.
“There is no need to explain the urgency of the matter to you once again, we went through that a million times. We as a school board just need to know yes or no, to indicate to our parents if they should start making arrangements to move their children to either other schools or keep them at home.”
The school also stressed that normal main stream schools do not cater for the special needs learners thus a majority of them will end up sitting at home and no school to go to if council does not act.
To make matters worse, it appears council has also not made effort to engage investors that have offered the school a helping hand. “The school has managed in the mean time to get funders… but normally and quite realistically these funders also need proof on paper before they invest… Out of desperation please give us this confirmation in writing from the City of Windhoek for the land.”
“…We are extremely dependable on this funders for the new temporary school and they first require a confirmation on the long term lease of the land in writing. The Welwitschia School Board does need this documentation by the end of March to finalise contracts with these funders.”
In response, Hambunda said that those affected should not get emotional about the matter adding there are policies to be followed regarding the applications of land. “I should mention this to you again your application will be handled in accordance with our policies and procedures and you will be informed accordingly.”
Hambunda goes on to say, “I am aware that you are desperate due to the fact that you are personally affected as a result of your child also going to be affected. I made this clear in the office of the Mayor not be emotional about this matter.”
School Founder Magda Swanepoel told Confidente that council finally met the school board on Monday but that nothing positive came out of it.
“We delivered our presentation to them on Monday but nothing came out of it so far. I don’t think they understand the urgency of this matter. We have to move out of the current premises on April 26. They told us that would travel to area ear-marked for the project but either than that they have not made any decisions and there is no definite action,” Swanepoel said.
Hambunda declined to discuss the issue when contacted for comment. “I will not comment on this matter with the media. We met with the school board last night (Monday) so why must they run to the media? Is this to pressure us? Whatever I need to say will be discussed with them,” Hambunda said.
The Welwitschia School is one of a few in the country that accommodates pupils with various learning barriers including those that cannot read and write as well as those that have difficulty with language processing but have normal intellectual abilities.
Swanepoel earlier this year told Confidente that if they get land, they will house their school on one property and expand. On top of that, they also hope to accommodate the blind after donors withdrew their funding.

By Confidente Reporter

A 23- year-old Windhoek man lost his left eye after he was reportedly shot during a drunken brawl which led to ophthalmologist Dr. Helena Ndume surgically removing it.
Ndume said that the eye was badly damaged to an extent that it was reduced to pulp. It took Ndume and her team an hour to surgically remove the eye on Monday.
Ndume also said that Uinomaandareo Uirore’s nasal bone is broken adding that pieces of bones had to be removed from his eye socket.
The doctor further said that it would be impossible for the young man to get a prosthetic eye because his eye socket is also broken.
“It was a surgery that took at least an hour. His eye is badly damaged to an extent that it looked like mesh. It was terrible to look at. We however managed to successfully remove the eye,” Ndume said.
Confidente was present Tuesday when Ndume broke the heartbreaking news to Uirore, who is now recovering at the Windhoek Central Hospital.
Uirore was in disbelief when the doctor told him his left eye had to be removed as a result of the incident. He constantly shook his head and said that he does not remember much of the incident.
“It was removed? No no no no….I do not remember what happened,” he said as tears started to swell.
Confidente could not take pictures of Uirore because of the gruesome injuries some readers may find upsetting. Efforts to get comment from the Namibian Police proved futile at the time of going to print.

By Eliaser Ndeyanale

LEARNERS boarding at Dawid //Khamuxab Primary School in the Kunene region have allegedly been without proper food for two months. This is after an unnamed supplier failed to deliver food at the school.
The school is 15km from the main road from Outjo to Okaukuejo, a two-track that cuts through farm Seringkop in the jungle of thick bushes and white stones around viterver grass.
The last time the supplier delivered the food to the school according to a teacher, Manene Nelson Kaure, was in January.
The school has 85 pupils who live in torn self-made tents erected within the school and they feed on a thick plain porridge without meat or soup every day.
“They are used to eating porridge without sugar or meat,” remarked Kaure while pointing to a big potjie pot full of porridge.
Another challenge they are facing according to Eva Horases hostel caretaker is shortage of hostel beds and this forces a group of five boys to share a single bed.
The teacher also told Confidente that they do not have a clinic where their learners could be treated if they fall ill, there is poor network coverage, no radio or television reception and all roads were impassable especially during rainy seasons.
“Sometimes we don’t have water because we are sharing with the community and the water gets finished because it is drawn from a borehole and we can’t water our gardens. Sometimes when we don’t have food; we grow vegetables here and give to our pupils,” he said.
He also narrated how the school was promised refurbishment by vice president Nickey Iyambo who visited the school last year, yet nothing has been done to date.
“Even the vice president was here and promised to address our plight but he never came back.”
The school was officially opened in 2010 by then Deputy Prime Minister, Dr Libertine Amathila, and was built for the Hai//Om San community and learners residing at Seringkop farm, as well as San learners from the surrounding six other resettlement farms.
According to Helmut Doeseb an official in the office of the director of education in Kunene region, the school is under the Namibia-German Special Initiative Programme (NGSIP) therefore the office of the Prime Minister is responsible for the challenges faced by the school.
“We are only providing them with break food, the rest is done by Office of the Prime Minister because that school is under community hostel”.
The acting director of education in the Kunene region Tjizu Ambrosius could not be reached for comment, while public relations officer in the Ministry of Education Johanna Absalom said the hostel was a community initiative and does not belong to or handled by the Ministry.
“The Ministry through the Directorate of Education, Arts and Culture in the Kunene Region assist the school by providing maize blend under the Namibia School Feeding Programme. “The Namibia School Feeding Programme is a daily meal (served once a day). “The school prepares two meals per day and thus finishes the supply ahead of the duration its intended.”
She further stated that to ensure consistent supply of maize blend at the school, the Ministry currently supplies additional maize to the school (sourced from schools in the region with extra maize blend). However, this is contrary to Confidenté shocking findings.
“The local businesses have also come on board to assist the schools by providing funds. In the interim, the regional office has request the Ministry to provide additional maize blend quotas to the school.”
Several attempts to get comment from the San Development Programme in the Office of the Prime Minister proved fruitless.

By Confidente Reporter

THE Magistrates Commission fears that suspended magistrate Hileni Kavara’s continued disparaging and defamatory remarks on the commission amongst others will become an intolerable situation if not dealt with urgently.
This was revealed during an urgent application in the Windhoek High Court last Friday in which it was said that Kavara had embarked on a campaign to destroy the name and dignity of the magistracy as well as the administration of justice.
“…Members of the public who comment on her statements of Facebook have taken favourably to her defamatory statements. Should the matter not be dealt with speedily, there is a real risk that it may escalate to unmanageable levels. With the continual erosion of the respect of the judiciary and in particular the Magistrates Courts (where she is otherwise stationed and to which the bulk of her statements are directed), the applicant fear that it will become an intolerable situation.”
According to court papers, any further delays will only aggravate the matter especially because Kavara had not shown intentions to stop with her conduct.
“The only alternative remedy for the applicant to charge her with misconduct, which is subject to further and thorough investigations and disciplinary inquiry. This is a process which could take many months even more than a year to completion, and in the interim the applicant and indeed the administration of justice will be subjected to endless malicious attacks by the respondent. This is simply no effective alternative.”
Nearly two weeks ago, the Commission officially charged Kavara with misconduct for posting a series of alleged defamatory material on the Commission, its Chairperson Nate Ndauendapo and the Prosecutor General Martha Imalwa amongst others. A month before, the Commission obtained a court interdict against Kavara stopping her from placing the defamatory material related to the Commission on her Facebook page and remove already posted defamatory statements from her profile.
According to the charge sheet, Kavara committed several acts that brought the administration of justice into disrepute, acts that erode the public’s confidence in the judiciary.
Kavara’s trouble with the Commission started when she spilled the beans on the unfairness in the country’s prosecution system. This led to her suspension on January 15 over allegations of corruption and serious misconduct.
The allegations stem from a case involving her former flame and ex-fiancé Mohammed Shabani who was charged for dealing in drugs. Shabani was granted bail of N$50 000 that Kavara paid for but after he fled she tried to have the bail money returned to her. Imalwa said that the move amounted to corruption and needed to be investigated.
Kavara has since her suspension been making the ‘slanderous’ remarks on her Facebook page. Although she missed Friday’s court session, she later took to her Facebook to talk about the interim interdict and cost of suit granted against her.
“So Napoleon the Pig in Animal Farm got an interim interdict finally granted against myself, wow, bravo. I am ordered to pay costs, interesting, well, my account is overdrawn, I don’t have savings and everything I have is in my two daughters’ names, my Kia was written off, so here is what’s going to happen, the only thing I can spare is my pubic hair which I will gladly donate to the lawyers whose legal costs I am bound to pay.
”…So here’s the second option, we have a lot of manure in our kraal back home. I will donate all of that! And when you refuse to accept my generous generous contribution, I will kindly consult my ancestors and don’t blame me for the calamities that will follow all of you and your children and grandchildren not forgetting great grandchildren, it’s called a generation curse…”

By Eliaser Ndeyanale

MINISTER of Safety and Security Charles Namoloh has accused the Namibia Student Financial Assistance Fund (NSFAF) of being discriminatory questioning why it did not grant bursaries to children of high government officials like ministers and ambassadors.
He made the remarks in the National Assembly on Thursday last week while contributing to the budget debate of the Ministry of Higher Education, Training and Innovation.
“Our children are discriminated against, they can’t get bursaries. Why if you are a minister or ambassador your child won’t get a bursary?” he asked High Education Minister Dr Itah Kandjii- Murangi.
Namoloh further told the Assembly how he paid for his five children university fees. “I have five children but none of them got a loan to study at a university. Who are these bursaries meant for because our children are always told your father is an ambassador or a minister (sic). Why can they not be given bursaries?”
Kandjii-Murangi shut him down however saying the system was meant to be pro poor in order to assist the country’s less privileged.
“We are reviewing the NSFAF requirements so that every eligible Namibia who meets certain requirements can get a bursary, but we want it (bursary scheme) to become pro poor,” she said.
Contrary to Namoloh’s latest declarations, back in 2009 Informante reported how children of government elite including Namoloh’s children had benefitted from bursaries to study in China. Those who had benefited included former President Hifikepunye Pohamba’s daughter, Ndapanda, Namoloh’s son Justus, Ernesto Ndeitunga, son of Namibian Police Inspector General Sebastian Ndeitunga, and Phillip Esau, son of Fisheries and Marine Resources Minister Bernhard Esau.
Other notable recipients include Lenna ya Kasita, Minister Henock ya Kasita’s daughter, Naukalemo Nghimtina, Mines and Energy Minister Erkki Nghimtina’s daughter, and Patrick Lungameni Mushimba, who is said to be related to former First Lady Kovambo Nujoma. The newspaper also reported then that Home Affairs Minister Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana’s daughter, Pendukeni, and Nathanael Pashto Nghidinwa, son of the former Minister of Gender Equality and Child Welfare Rosalia Nghidinwa, also benefited.

By Confidente Reporter

TWO young Namibian women pursuing studies in Zimbabwe were reportedly kidnapped and assaulted by three Bulawayo women over allegations of bedding one of their husbands, Confidente has learnt.
Zimbabwe authorities confirmed the matter saying investigations are underway. The incident was also reported in a daily newspaper, The Chronicle.
According to the Chronicle, the trio recorded a video of the incident on March 24 that has since gone viral on social media networks. In the video one of the women is heard telling one of the visibly shaken girls to bend over so that she could spank her buttocks.
“Face that side, stand up and face that side. I want to beat you on the buttocks that they f*** you. You think you’re clever, where’s Nancy, who do you think you are? You sleep with my husband and you think you’re clever?” one of the women is heard saying.
It is further reported that the three women allegedly tricked the pair telling them that someone had sent them cosmetics which they should collect.
This was reportedly after one of the women Tapiwa Chiwundona stumbled on a text message from one of the girls on her husband’s mobile phone.
Sources privy to the matter told the newspaper that the two girls met the women in the city centre and were told that the cosmetics were at a house in Famona, Bulawayo.
“They (three women) drove them to Famona where they stripped the two before giving them a hiding using rubber slippers on their buttocks,” a source was quoted as saying.
After the assault, the women reportedly took the girls to Centenary Park and told them to soil their clothes in mud before letting them go. The girls had however not reported the matter to police until their video went viral.
One of the girls narrated how the trio tricked them to Famona where they were forced to strip naked before being assaulted.
“We took them to the police station. They kidnapped us and beat us up as shown in the video. They forced us to undress apparently over a friend of ours called Makho,” one of the girls said.
She described the incident a traumatic experience and brutality she suffered in a foreign country.
Efforts to get comment from the Namibian Embassy in Zimbabwe proved futile at the time of going to print.

By Faith Haushona-Kavamba

THE Outapi Town Council CEO Ananias Nashilongo this week confirmed that former reality TV star and media personality Maria Nepembe is the new face of the annual Olufuko Festival.
Nashilongo made the confirmation after social media erupted with the news over the weekend, with many assuming that it was merely a hoax due to a comment made on social media by one of the council’s staffers.
“I can confirm that Maria Nepembe is indeed the face of the 2016 Olufuko Festival. I am aware that someone from our council made a comment that this was not the case but we called her in and she clarified that she was still trying to keep the news under wraps although it was not her place to do so,” he explained.
The CEO said that Nepembe, who served as MC for the event’s gala dinner last year, was chosen as the face of the festival by popular demand.
“This is not the first time we are working with Maria. She was the Master of Ceremonies (MC) at our gala dinner for the festival last year. It was a well-attended event and after the event people expressed how happy they were with her. The demand for her return came from the community because they feel comfortable with her presence as she is supporting the event,” he noted. Nashilongo explained that the Olufuko Festival was an important event because it aids in the preservation of culture and having a celebrity as the face of the event would urge the youth to take note of it and learn of their culture.
“It is important to educate youngsters about the value of their culture because they only respect the Western culture. They see their own culture as a sin and they favour the western culture, they should take note that all the blessings and value lie within their culture. With the festival we can also teach them about the economic value of their cultural products,” he stressed.
Nashilongo also said that it is unfortunate that there are those who criticise the event without much understand of it.
Nepembe said she was honoured to be chosen as the face of Olufuko.
“I was the MC for the festival’s gala dinner last year and I was very impressed with the setup. Before that I had misconceptions about the event, I assumed that it was about forcing young girls into marriages but once I was there I was given a scope that helped me understand it better,” she explained.
She too agreed with Nashilongo, saying that it was important to preserve culture and the festival would aid in doing that. “Olufuko helps to preserve our culture and the girls do it voluntarily. As long as there are people willing to learn and elders willing to teach we should have the festival, without it our culture will die out,” she said.
Although she is the face of the festival, Nepembe herself will not be taking part in the festival itself.
Queried as to whether she was at all affected by the negative comments on social media saying she did not have the right to be the face of the event, Nepembe said she was not fazed in the least because she and those closest to her knew who she really was and being part of the project ensured that the youth would take an interest in it.
Visible Communication is running the festival’s marketing campaign under the management of Zenao Angula.
Angula explained that since announcing that Nepembe was the face of the event, the festival has been trending on social media more than it has in other years, proving that Nepembe was the right choice to popularise the event.
She also clarified that Nepembe was eligible to be the face of the event (and take part in it if she wanted to) because the criteria was not strictly for virgin maidens but those who do not have children. The festival is scheduled for August 24-31. The dates for the gala dinner will be announced in due course.

By Confidente Reporter

OFFICIAL opposition leader, McHenry Venaani of the DTA party is not happy with his N$70 000 monthly gross salary which is the same amount that is being paid to all leaders of opposition parties in Parliament.
After deductions Venaani will be left with around N$50 000.
Venaani, Tuesday said although he wasn’t elected to go to Parliament to enrich himself he feels that he is being punished by the system since the norm in the past was that the leader of the official opposition earns a salary that was at least N$4 000 higher than the rest of other opposition leaders in Parliament.
“It so happens that in the history of Namibia, I am a recipient of a salary that is the same as every other opposition leader in Parliament which has never happened before. I do not know why I am being punished like this. It’s an anomaly I think is not right. It has never happened before and I can’t blame anyone for it but it’s very funny the way I am being punished,” he said. He added that it would be ideal to have parliament legislation that deals with the remuneration and benefits entitled to the leader of an official opposition party instead of the current situation where the official opposition leader’s salary and benefits fall under the mercy of the country’s President.
“If you do your desk research well you will find out that in countries like India a leader of the official opposition is entitled to accommodation, transport and VIP security but that does not happen here. I didn’t come here to look for benefits but I feel the current situation is an anomaly that needs to be rectified. Currently I have to pay for my own security details but that is not the same conditions.
“In other countries the leader of the official opposition is at the same rank as that of a Minister. However I am only accorded that status outside the country but denied the same status in my own country,” Venaani said.
He added that the Public Office Bearers Commission was currently handling the matter.
“I am too big to cry about it, if the POBC has made recommendations and (President Hage) Geingob refuses to endorse them what else can I do?” Venaani asked.

… As Shilamba finally lifts the lid on his suspension

By Confidente Reporter

THE suspension in July last year of Nampower Managing Director Paulinus Shilamba together with the parastatal’s Chief Technical Services officer O’Brien Hekandjo and senior Manager for Energy trading, Werner Graupe had nothing to do with tender irregularities but rather was politically motivated as a result of the Kudu and Xaris energy projects, Confidente has learnt.
Shilamba talks victimisation and blames his downfall squarely on the Minister of Mines and Energy, Obeth Kandjoze and some Nampower board members.
“In summary, our suspension was all about politics and victimisation. This was a penalty and a price we had to pay because of the 250 MW Xaris project that we had initiated and that was, thanks to our drive, at a point of reaching financial close before full implementation,” Shilamba wrote.
The revelations are contained in a document prepared by Shilamba that was to be presented at the Labour Commissioner’s Office on March 30 and 31 where the trio are contesting their suspension.
However, the labour case had to be postponed after Kandjoze and Nampower board members failed to attend court despite being subpoenaed.
They now face contempt of court charges. A police case of contempt of court under CR number 295/04/2016 has since been opened at Katutura police station against the five.
The document which is yet to be presented in court marks the first time Shilamba speaks out about his suspension. He starts by saying it was high time the truth about the trio’s suspension is revealed to the public.
“The truth is that the entire KPMG project covering phase one (development of the implementation strategy) and phase two (procurement of the IPP investor) and as approved by the Tender Board and the Board of Directors respectively, was estimated to cost N$30 million, with the amount of N$2.4 million to be allocated to the first phase and the balance (approximately N$27 million) to the second phase. If we indeed pocketed this difference as alleged through the media I wonder how we were allowed to move freely without police arrest or the investigation by the ACC.
Shilamba said Kandjoze has never been keen on the implementation of the Xaris project since he was the Managing Director of Namcor.
“Unfortunately the project did not enjoy support from Namcor under the leadership of its former Managing Director, Honourable Obeth Kandjoze, at the time. There are e-mail communication between Honourable Kandjoze as Namcor Managing Director at that time, Mr Kahuure (former PS of MME), our chairperson and Honourable Isak Katali, the former Minister of Mines and Energy, that could be made available to this court as testimony that this is indeed the case.
“After his nomination as one of the eight members of Parliament in February 2015, long before he became the new Minister of Mines and Energy on 21 March 2015, Honourable Kandjoze did not waste time to make an investigation and find ways to make sure that the 250MW project was put on hold as soon as possible,” Shilamba wrote.
Shilamba goes on to further reveal how a few weeks before the 2015 independence celebrations he had been informed by a staff member at Energy Trading in confidence how he/she had been summoned by Kandjoze in his office to provide him with more information on the Xaris project and to make it clear that he was against the project.
“During the independence celebration on March 21 2015 it was brought to my attention by one of my colleagues that there are talks circulating in town that Mr Kandjoze has indicated to some of his friends that one of his targets upon his appointment as Minister of Mines and Energy was to make sure that he got rid of Mr Shilamba. One of the Nampower board members (name withheld) also informed me in confidence around May 2015 that one of our board members (name also withheld) while attending a funeral outside Windhoek was heard informing his friends that one of his targets that year (2015) was to make sure that he got rid of Mr Shilamba and Ms Nashandi. By the way, they managed to get rid of Ms Nashandi by not renewing her contract when it expired in September 2015 and freezing the position.”
Shilamba also claims that soon after Kandjoze was appointed minister the working environment, especially the relationship between the board and management, started to deteriorate.
“The tension during board meetings was evident as many recommendations from management were being rejected or referred back without good reasons. I have personally been on the receiving end of hostile remarks from the board member whom I referred to above as having stated that his main target was to get rid of me. In the meantime the tension between the interest groups within the company, those who supported Kudu and those who were for the Xaris project, intensified.
“The Minister and some board members also started to align themselves with those interest groups in the company and undermining the Managing Director and his management team. The spilt and division within the board also became evident, with one group firmly supporting the Xaris project and the other group mainly composed of the members of the Audit and Risk Management Committee (ARMC) and who have been dominating the show because of their link with the Minister supporting the Minister to stop the project from going ahead.”
Shilamba said he was later advised by Nampower’s Chief Legal Advisor, Bjorn Joerges, to opt for an early exit from the parastatal as per the provision of his employment contract.
“Having listened to the advice of our Chief Legal Advisor, and having realised that it was never going to be easy to fight these battles alone, and without the support of the board and after consultation with my family, I realised that the only viable option out of this undesirable situation for me was to consider an exist from my employment contract and to resign. This was clearly a case of constructive dismissal to which I did not have any other option but to resign…I would like to reiterate that my suspension was based on nothing else but a calculated and deliberate political agenda to keep me aside because of my involvement in the Xaris project. It should also be clear that I was not involved in any tender irregularity as published in the media and that the charges against me that were malicious will automatically fall away as they could never be proven in the absence of a disciplinary hearing, resulting from the refusal by the company to provide me with the relevant documents to afford me a fair hearing as per the provisions of our constitution,” Shilamba wrote.
Shilamba says events that led to their suspension began with a forensic audit that was not allegedly initiated by the Nampower board but by the ARMC. The audit report was done by Saunderson & Co.
Shilamba alleges that the initial auditing company’s first report did not implicate anyone but identified shortcomings and recommended measures to rectify them however the ARMC tasked the company to carry out additional work and revise its report to specifically identify and implicate those who were responsible for the mistakes.
“It must be pointed out that no variation order was issued for the additional work by Mr Saunderson of approximately 60 percent (an increase from N$149 500 to N$241 500.) I reported this transgression to the board but instead, I was instructed to sign the ex-post facto ratification to allow Mr Saunderson to be paid for the additional work he had already completed. ..It is also interesting to note that the first report is dated May 26 2015 and the second report May 27 2015, a clear manipulation of the auditing process. Another outcome pointing to the clear manipulation of the report related to the accusation by Mr Saunderson that I authorised payment of the last invoice that exceeded my level of authority, without board authorisation. Here Mr Saunderson decided to ignore the fact that apart from the board resolution of the meeting of February 6 2014 the memorandum I wrote to the Chief Financial Officer to effect payment of the last invoice was also accompanied by a board resolution (BD 26/03/15/20) of the board meeting of March 26 2015 which read as follows: The board resolved to approve the over- expenditure of N$5.6 million and N$992 000 excluding VAT. This board resolution bears the signature of the board chairperson and the company secretary meaning this expenditure was indeed approved by the board contrary to claims by Mr Saunderson that it was not the case. I suggest that Nampower makes this resolution available to the court and explain as to why it was not considered as part of the Saunderson report.”
Efforts to get comment from Kandjoze proved futile at the time of going to print as he had not returned calls or messages left in his office and mobile at the time of going to print.

By Confidente Reporter
CIVIL servants are accusing the Namibia Public Workers Union (Napwu) of signing the five percent pay rise with Government last week without first consulting them. They further accused the union of not having their best interests at heart.
The civil servants told Confidente that on many occasions the union made decisions on their behalf without consulting them, a move that saw at least 1 700 request to part ways with Napwu in February last year.
“The union again signed this agreement without consulting us. We want the union to provide proof of the meetings of consultations they had with civil servants regarding the increments and other matters. They have a habit of signing agreements on our behalf without talking to us. This just shows that they do not have our best interests at heart,” a civil servant said on condition of anonymity for fear of victimisation.
The Government workers also told Confidente that when such matters arise, Government strictly engages the union but they the affected parties are left in the dark.
During the re-grading process almost three years ago, the workers claim they were also not consulted adding that when the decision was appealed, Government through the office of the Prime Minister referred them to the union for answers.
“We only learn of such agreements in the newspapers. How do we confide in a union that does not consult us about matters that affect us? They are supposed to be on our side but they are not. It is difficult to go to them because they also do not give us clear answers. These are burning issues that have left many wanting to terminate their membership,” another worker said.
At least 1 700 civil servants in the countries four ‘O’ regions of Oshana, Oshikoto, Omusati and Ohangwena through a committee tried to hand in their membership termination letters last year but Napwu officials at the time reportedly refused to accept them. “People are fed up with Napwu. They keep on deducting their money monthly but do not serve the people they deduct the money from. They don’t ask about our opinions and are always making empty promises. It is because of Napwu that we find ourselves in this predicament,” another worker said.
The workers also highlighted that although the union represents a minority, all civil servants are affected by agreements the union makes with government.
“All civil servants are affected by what Napwu does whether you are member or not. Why should people be stuck like this? This is a sell-out, this must stop now for we cannot take it anymore,” another worker said.
While the union reportedly refuses to accept membership termination forms, a call to the union’s headquarters by Confidente revealed that one has to write a letter to the union’s general secretary and give a month notice. The workers however maintain that those who wished to terminate their followed those procedures but the union reportedly makes it difficult for them. “It is this thing of throwing people from office to office that confuses us. Sadly many people are not aggressive and they suffer in silence,” another worker said. Meanwhile, Napwu General Secretary Peter Nevonga was quick to trash the allegations saying that the union keeps in touch with its members.
“…Those that came to you are not union members. Our members know what channels to follow if they have grievances so I don’t understand why they came to you. Such complaints have not reached our offices,” Nevonga said.
Asked why the union refused to accept the termination letters, Nevonga said, “I do not know what you are talking about.”

By Eliaser Ndeyanale

DTA of Namibia Member of Parliament Vipuakuje Muharukua last Thursday called his fellow Members of Parliament “irresponsible”. His comment came shortly after Presidential Affairs Minister Frans Kapofi finished responding to questions posed to him by Muharukua.
The young MP asked Kapofi on the subject of the children of the struggle to which Kapofi responded that the matter should not be politicised and nobody should ‘play political football’ with it.
Muharukua who seemed to be on a war path said children of civilians who were caught in crossfire during the war of liberation should also be given jobs as it is the case with children whose parents died at the front. He also questioned if it was Government policy to avail jobs to certain people to the exclusion of others.
“In any war, there are always people who were caught in crossfire, what will happen to them and their children? You are calling us irresponsible but you are also irresponsible. Children who grew up without parents inside the country are also disadvantaged as those who were born in exile,” he said.
“There is one lie which is being said in this country, that this country is liberated through the level of the gun that is not true. People of my generation are informed, we read, we analyse and we make our own judgement,” he said.
The statement caused a stir in the National Assembly with some ruling party MPs labelling Muharukua immature – “a child who knows nothing about the war”.
Asked if it is Parliamentary for an MP to call others irresponsible, speaker Peter Katjavivi who chaired the debate refused to be drawn into the drama stating he could not remember such a remark being made in the house.
“I can’t remember … find out from the two members who called each other irresponsible, however, it is not good for any member to use such a word.”

By Eliaser Ndeyanale
RETIRED army Colonel Lazarus Amutele has accused the leader of the opposition party McHenry Venaani of instigating a civil war.
He was responding to remarks allegedly made by Venaani at his ‘Real state of the nation address’ recently when Venaani called for Government to engage with former SWATF and Koevoet soldiers, warning that they are trained fighters who could cause a disturbance in the country that would be worse than the one caused by Nigerian militant group Boko Haram in Nigeria and by ISIS, a jihadist militant group across the world.
Calling Venaani ‘a child of yesterday who knows nothing about the war’, Amutele said Venaani must not ruin the peace in the country.
“I am retired but not tired war is war and let him not urinate the peace (sic). Honourable must not wake up a sleeping lion.
“We are all not present because of the sacrifices for freedom and independence of our country I don’t believe such childish utterance,” said Amutele who allegedly tasted the bitterness of the border war of 1966/89.
“He is a child of yesterday. When we came from Angola he was in 1989 he was a student, he knows nothing about the war”.
Last week another frontrunner of the armed liberation struggle former commander Nghiyalasha Elisha Haulyondjaba said he was shocked to read what Venaani had to say about former members of Koevoet and the SWATF being trained soldiers and implying that if mistreated they could cause a disturbance in Namibia that would be worse than the one caused by Boko Haram. Haulyondjaba said Venaani’s utterances were misplaced.
When approached for comment on Monday Venaani called Amutele’s assertion as a joke of the day and somebody who is looking for political popularity. “I am a responsible politician. There is no way I can instigate war in this country,” he said.

By Hileni Nembwaya
THE Minister of Gender Equality and Child Welfare, Doreen Sioka has said that cases of gender based violence (GBV) are still on the increase despite concerted efforts by the Government to root out the scourge.
Sioka made these remarks during the official opening of the Omuthiya regional office in Oshikoto region, last week.
“Let me stress that, we have observed an increase in the number of gender based violence activities in our country. I want to assure you that the Government and other stakeholders will strive by all means to root it out,” said Sioka.
The Minister said the most effective way to contain GBV is by ensuring gender equality in all spheres of life including the change of traditional perceptions on women.
The gender ministry is working with other stakeholders such as line ministries, development partners, the private sector and NGOs to carry out the community empowerment programmes on the troubling matter.
“Major strides have been made; however, the is still room for improvement especially with regard to coordination of programmes and activities geared towards community advancement, to harmonise all the initiatives in order to realise positive impact,” said Sioka.
Sioka furthermore called upon the community members of Omuthiya town to utilise the office to its fullest potential and take care of the building and all facilities it provides.
Meanwhile, Nampol’s Head of Media Relations Kauna Shikwambi echoed Sioka’s concerns saying that the force is troubled by the rise of domestic violence cases and urged people not to take matters into their own hands.
“There is really no excuse for domestic violence or abusive behaviours. If it is about increased alcohol consumption, family obligations, financial problems, health matters or extra marital affairs there are solutions to all those problems, killing each other or taking one’s life is not the solution at all. Therefore, we are encouraging people to seek help before their problems get worse.
“Any violence, particularly violence in the home or by loved ones, is unacceptable by society. We ought to love one another, share with one another, forgive one another and be happy with each other, irrespectively. As the custodians of law and order we are humbly urging the public to please seek assistance before matters escalate by contacting the emergency lines of the police or contact individual police officers, or any other support services such as social workers, churches, neighbours, families or Ministry of gender, for them to remed