WINDHOEK – Swapo’s regional office in Omaheke has accused Nudo of giving preferential treatment to Nudo members in the recruitment of workers for the construction of the N$575 million road between Otjinene and Grootfontein.
Nudo Deputy Secretary General, Vetaruhe Kandorozu, who serves as the councillor for the Okakarara Constituency, is singled out for having the final say on who should be recruited on the project.
“Those are unfounded allegations,” Kandorozu told New Era yesterday. “All the applications go through the constituency office and then we forward them to the contractor. The contractor normally works through my office whenever they want to communicate with the community because of the language barrier and they were the ones who requested that I get a community liaison officer,” said Kandorozu, denying any wrongdoing and accusing Swapo of politicising the matter since the elections are only a few months away.
Swapo Regional Coordinator for Omaheke Region, Kejamuine Mungendje, wrote to the Governor of Omaheke Region, Festus Ueitele, on March 13 2014, alleging that “procurement of services and recruitment of employees for the project [were] done on a party political basis.”
In a letter in New Era’s possession Mungendje claims he has received numerous reports and complaints of preferential treatment being given to members of Nudo when it comes to procurement of services and recruitment. Nudo also stands accused of giving preferential treatment on procurement services regarding the road between Otjinene and Grootfontein.
“The construction camp has been established at the plot of Mbunga Tjamuaha who is a member of Nudo with the agreement that his property will be developed. The security services for the project have also been awarded to him and the cleaning services have been awarded to his wife,” Mungendje said in the letter.
China Henan International Corporation (CHICO) were contracted to do the road upgrading from gravel to bitumen standard.
Mugendje further said another Nudo member, Muputu Karuhumba, was appointed as community liaison officer “on the recommendation and advice of Kandorozu”.
Mungendje also accused Kandorozu of halting the application and appointment of Charles Kaaronda for the position of human resources. Kaaronda is a Swapo member, explained Mungendje.
Speakingto New Era, Karuhumba who is employed by CHICO as the Community Liaison Officer, said his appointment was not a result of Kandorozu’s recommendation, clarifying: “I submitted my curriculum vitae and I was hired on the basis that I know the community and the people in the area very well.”
Karuhumba said the company’s human resource manager only does the recruitment.
“These are pure allegations, the councillor’s office only receives the applications and forwards them to the company where the short listing and recruitment are done. I can tell you that no labourer has been appointed yet, all the workers who are residing at the camp now are the ones who have been working for the company for a long period and on other projects,” said Karuhuma.
Karuhuma, who admitted to being a Nudo member, said the decision to set up camp on Tjamhuaha’s farm had nothing to do with Nudo because the agreement was made between Tjamuaha and the company.
Kandorozu further said he was not aware that general labourers are required to pay N$20 at the Ovaherero Traditional Authority to receive recommendation letters, as alleged in the letter.
With Mungendje alleging that general labourers are required to pay N$20 to receive recommendation letters from the traditional authorities, Kandorozu said: “We agreed with the Kambazembi, Ovaharero and Mireti traditional authorities that workers must be provided with recommendation letters to affirm that a specific person is really from the area to ensure that only locals are employed. If there is payment involved for the processing of the applications I am not aware,” he said.
The road upgrade is an extension of the Gobabis-Otjinene road that has already been upgraded.
The current phase of the project will start approximately three kilometers outside Otjinene, and extends over 65 km to Okondjatu, through Okamatapati and Ongongoro before reaching Grootfontein. The total distance of the road to be upgraded is 231 km.
By Mathias Haufiku