By Kuvee Kangueehi
Mariental
The Governor of the Hardap Region Katrina Hanse-Himarua has written a letter to the Secretary General of the Swapo Party Dr Ngarikutuke Tjiriange to report alleged ‘on-going verbal harassment, insults and belittling remarks’ against her by the District Coordinator of Rehoboth Urban East District, Willy Swartz.
The letter follows a reported physical fight between Hanse and Swartz last week in Rehoboth during a Swapo Party district conference.
Hanse in the letter said that conflict between the two of them started last year and since then she’s experienced humiliation, degradation of character and insults by Swartz, which have caused her personal hurt.
“His abuses have portrayed a negative image of my leadership and life in general and I cannot any longer tolerate and condone the abuses.”
Highlighting the incidents where she experienced abuse from Swartz, Hanse recalled a meeting in 2006 at Rehoboth where she was invited by the community of Rehoboth East to address them on development issues.
At the meeting, Swartz allegedly kept on interrupting her, accusing her of bias and lying.
Hanse said she was embarrassed and surprised, and chaos almost broke out as Swartz kept shouting at her from the floor.
In another incident, Swartz allegedly accused her of plotting to oust him from the party after Hanse held a meeting with the Attorney General Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana, Richard Kamwi and Clemens Kashuupulwa at the Mariental Show Grounds.
She noted that during her meeting with the party leaders, Swartz and his team were spying on them and took pictures and drew sketches of those present and the locality where the various cars were parked. Hanse feels that this could pose a security threat to her physically.
The next morning Swartz stopped in front of a huge crowd and accused her of having clandestine meetings with Iivula-Ithana and associates.
Swartz allegedly said: “You must be happy after you successfully plotted yesterday evening with your cronies on how to eliminate me from Swapo. Good luck for you.”
She said that on September 7, Swartz insulted her in the presence of Tjiriange during a meeting at Mariental, accusing her of disrespecting him when she sought clarity on an issue.
During the latest incident, Swartz allegedly asked the Governor: “Do you want sex?” in the packed hall and in the presence of Tjiriange.
Hanse reported last week’s fight to the police and has also forwarded her letter of complaint to the Swapo Party President Sam Nujoma, Head of State and party Vice-President Hifikepunye Pohamba and Deputy Secretary General John Pandeni.
Contacted for comment, Swartz said he would hold a press conference to put his side of the story.