Windhoek
Government has turned down a request by former Speaker of the National Assembly Dr Theo-Ben Gurirab to purchase a second government house, apparently under the alienation scheme.
Gurirab’s successor, Professor Peter Katjavivi, and Presidential Affairs Minister Frans Kapofi confirmed this yesterday during separate interviews with New Era.
Gurirab wrote to President Hage Geingob earlier this year, asking for an intervention in his bid to buy fixed government property in Swakopmund that is allocated to the National Assembly.
“That house is not available for alienation, because it belongs to the National Assembly, not an individual. The only houses that can be alienated are those that are occupied by individuals,” Kapofi said yesterday. He stressed that the Speaker of the National Assembly would be entitled to make use of the house, but not own it.
Katjavivi in turn said the position of the National Assembly is that the house is not up for sale. “I’m just confirming what we all already know. The house belongs to the National Assembly.”
Gurirab already owns a house in Windhoek’s leafy suburb of Klein Windhoek, which he bought from government through the alienation scheme.
During an interview with this reporter earlier this year, Gurirab said he saw nothing wrong with his attempt to buy the house. “Why would that be a problem for me? Is it illegal for me to think about that? Am I violating the Constitution? Or am I trying to fool the government to break the law?” Gurirab asked at the time.
“If I’m doing something I’m not entitled to do, why would that be a problem to me? It should be the problem of whomever I am engaging,” said Gurirab, who previously also served as the country’s prime minister.
It is still unclear whether the former Speaker intended to buy the house through the alienation scheme or not. Government houses sold under the alienation scheme are sold below market value, with those occupying the house at the time of sale having the first option to buy the property.
Gurirab was forced into retirement in March after he failed to make it back into parliament following last year’s elections.