WINDHOEK – Dr Panduleni Itula, who last year contested the presidency as an independent candidate, has been warned against using the national flag for political purposes.
Namibian Police Deputy Inspector General for Operations Major-General Oscar Embubulu told New Era yesterday that Itula was informed about the use of the national flag last Friday.
This follows a directive from Secretary to Cabinet George Simataa who asked police chief Inspector General Sebastian Ndeitunga to ensure the law on national symbols of 2018 is adhered to.
The directive is specifically directed on the use of the Namibian national flag by political parties, entities and candidates for political purposes.
According to Embubulu, Khomas regional commander, Commissioner Joseph Shikongo, relayed the message to Itula after the court challenge hearing in the Supreme Court on Friday.
Embubulu also said all offices, ministries, and agencies have been furnished with the directive from Simataa on the use of the national flag by political parties, entities and candidates for political purposes.
Itula and his supporters have been using the national flag for their campaigns since last year. According to Simataa, the National symbols of the Republic of Namibia Act of 2018 is clear on the usage of the national flag. He said Section 6 of the said Act outlines the use and display of the national symbols, including the national flag.
Amongst others, he explained the national flag is used only at national events, including sports and at national institutions and cannot be used by individual persons and or political purposes. “Therefore, it is imperative for the institutions of the state, including the law enforcement agencies to ensure that the Act is fully implemented,” Simataa directed. The National symbols of the Republic of Namibia Act of 2018 reads: “A person may not, without the prior written approval by the President or a person designated by the President for such purpose, use or display a national symbol or any depiction so closely resembling a national symbol, in manner likely to cause confusion in connection with any trade, business, profession or occupation or in connection with any mark or description applied by him or her or in relation to, goods made, produced or sold by such person.” In November last year, information minister Stanley Simataa also pleaded with Namibians to stop using the national flag for political campaign activities. He maintained that this had the potential to cause confusion in terms of the nobility of the national flag as a representative national and unifying symbol for all Namibians. Attempts to reach Itula proved futile yesterday as his phone went unanswered.