A matter in which the deputy minister of finance Maureen Hinda-Mbuende is suing the former mayor of Windhoek, Job Amupanda to the tune of N$1 million commenced in the Windhoek High Court Monday, with the deputy minister taking the stand.
Hinda-Mbuende is suing Amupanda for alleged defamatory remarks he made against her in a social media post in July 2021. Amupanda posted a photo of an unknown woman on his social media platforms, and captioned it: “It looks like deputy minister of finance Maureen Hinda during the liberation struggle.
Maureen was soo WizWiz. It’s like she won’t think twice about taking a knife out.”(sic)
Hinda-Mbuende claims the post was meant to be understood by the public that the woman in the picture was her in her youthful days; that she was a street girl ready to fight at a moment’s notice. She told Judge Collins Parker on Monday that by September 2021, the Facebook post had 511 comments, 2 800 reactions and it was shared 39 times.
Hinda-Mbuende, in her opening statement, said the liberation struggle is not a joking matter, and that both she and Amupanda are political leaders who influence important decisions in the country. She indicated that she will prove that Amupanda’s posts were intended to defame her and that he showed no remorse afterward.
It is further her testimony that Amupanda continued to perpetuate gendered insults against her. A mother of six, Hinda-Mbuende said she is a role model to many and that Amupanda’s posts were hurtful.
“My integrity is what has gotten me this far,” she testified.
Amupanda will also take the stand.
-Nampa