Carlos Kambaekwa
Windhoek-NUDO’s Okakarara Constituency Councillor Vetaruhe Kandorozu has blasted as hogwash claims advanced by the acting director of sports in the portfolio ministry, Jo-Ann Manuel.
The NUDO firebrand angrily reacted to what he termed lame excuses advanced by the ministry following complaints about the absence of a dedicated sports officer in the constituency.
Though Manuel admitted that the absence of a dedicated sports officer was hampering development in the particular region, she angered the outspoken politician when she said the appointment of a sports officer was hamstrung by the moratorium placed on all state organs, especially in terms of new recruitments and construction of new facilities, etc.
“Their excuse of a moratorium on expenditure is wrong because the moratorium is not for existing human resources portfolios, it’s for new structures and other new projects not yet implemented. In fact, they are using that money for that position as a saving to cover other expenses hence the delay,” he charged.
He added that the said position has been vacant for seven years now, adding that the economic recession only started last year. He questioned how could the moratorium all of a sudden become retrospective.
“That’s a very illiterate excuse and undermining the people of Okakarara’s intellectual capacity. We regard this as an embargo towards the people of Okakarara to make sure they don’t participate at any rank and file in sports codes and make sure they don’t wear national colours.”
He believes this should be a decision for the ministry, not for cabinet with regard to the Okakarara sports officer as alluded by Manuel in her earlier response.
Kandorozu claimed the ministry of youth and sport has embarked on a deliberate decision to destroy the youth from Okakarara in an attempt to ensure they do not have careers.
“We have communicated this to the minister of youth and sport Hon. Jerry Ekandjo, but as usual our plea fell on deaf ears. All of a sudden, the very same ministry is telling us to write to cabinet – where on earth have you seen a constituency office directly making a submission to cabinet on administrative matters?”
“We want a sports officer to be appointed without further delay. Failure to adhere to this would result in my constituency office requesting all constituency sportsmen and women to stage a demonstration to demand their human right of career [development] be taken care of by the responsible ministry.”
He threatened he will transport them to Windhoek to camp at the ministry of youth and sport until their demands are met.
In conclusion, the NUDO firebrand is demanding a prompt response from the line minister or the permanent secretary: “Not from an ordinary acting person with a ‘by the way’ kind of lukewarm response with absolutely no substance in it.”