WINDHOEK – It seems DTA MP Phillemon Moongo has landed himself in hot water over recent comments he made regarding the party’s decision to terminate the membership of Katuutire Kaura.
Moongo said he did not regret saying what he said at the time Kaura was expelled from the party and recalled from parliament before the DTA dramatically rescinded its decision.
During an interview with New Era earlier this month, after the DTA announced it reversed its decision to boot its former president Katuutire Kaura from the party and recall him from the National Assembly, Moongo blamed the party’s youthful leadership for embarrassing the party by terminating Kaura’s leadership without following the proper procedures. He also accused them of lacking maturity to take accurate decisions. But his comments seem not to have been taken lightly by the DTA leadership.
“Even if the president is around I have the right to talk, no one can silence me. I do not regret saying what I said because nobody has the right to stop me from practising freedom of speech,” he told New Era last week.
DTA secretary general Vincent Kanyetu said talk about plans to discipline Moongo were pure lies.
“This is just a fabricated story, maybe the person who told you about it must come and tell us what he or she is talking about. Moongo is our good friend and parliamentarian,” said Kanyetu.
Sources within the party alerted New Era to the fact the party’s leadership was not at ease with the comments and that there were proposals for a disciplinary hearing against Moongo, but they indicated a final decision would only be made once party president, McHenry Venaani, returned from a European trip, which he did on Sunday.
Moongo said Kaura’s expulsion was unfair because he was not given a fair hearing.
“I cannot hide it, whether they are saying I am siding with Kaura, all I am saying is that the correct procedures were not followed. That is the problem we have in Africa, people do not have tolerance and they do not want to negotiate,” said Moongo.
“If they want to call for a disciplinary hearing they can do so, but they know very well that I appealed to them not to expel Kaura,” he said.
Venaani was allegedly also not comfortable with Moongo’s comments.
A disciplinary hearing is set for later this month where Kaura’s fate will be determined, while whether Moongo will also be disciplined remains a mystery for now.
By Mathias Haufiku