Kuzeeko Tjitemisa
Windhoek-Njangula Security Services owner Aldrin Mukupi has accused government of awarding lucrative security tenders to a security company owned by a foreigner at the expense of well-established local security companies.
Mukupi, the son of the late Sibbinda constituency councillor and security company owner, Felix Kabuku Mukupi, said of late security tenders have been awarded to a certain security company (name withheld) which he said is owned by a Zambian national (name withheld).
In-fact, he said, the Zambian man used to work for Njangula Security as a manager when his father was still alive but he has since turned against Mukupi’s children ‘using insider information from his former employer’ to secure lucrative security tenders from the government.
The disgruntled son says such doings could make the late Felix Mukupi -who was affable and had a larger than life persona- turn in his grave considering the fact he treated the former manager as a relative.
When he was alive Felix Mukupi was a Swapo foot-soldier who assisted the party to make substantive inroads in Sibbinda and other constituencies that were strongholds of the former DTA (renamed PDM) and he made generous cash donations unequalled by his peers in the Zambezi.
Mukupi says what troubles him the most is the fact that business opportunities supposed to benefit Namibians are being given to foreigners thus enriching other countries instead of Namibia and its citizens.
“How is this allowed? Namibian opportunities should be enjoyed by Namibians, not foreigners or Zambians. What Namibia needs is skilled workers from other countries not foreign tenderpreneurs,” he stressed, adding that he is not trying to instigate xenophobia but simply wants fairness.
“We have good Namibian security companies that have been operational in this country for over two decades with certificates of good standing and good reputation with the government, why are they being sidelined, for the benefit of foreigners to invest in their countries?” he questioned.
Efforts by New Era to get a comment from the Zambian national proved futile as his phone was continually off.