WINDHOEK – The Namibia National Students Organisation (Nanso) general student’s council has over the weekend suspended some of its members, including vice-president Bernard Kavau, on charges of insubordination and bringing the revolutionary student body into disrepute.
Other members who have been suspended pending disciplinary proceedings include Tyson Hihuanguapo, Simon Amunime and Sheya Ngolo.
Surprisingly, the suspended members including the vice-president formed part of Nanso faction which led mass demonstrations recently around the country by disgruntled students, threatening to shut down the higher education ministry if Namibia Students Financial Assistance Fund (Nsfaf) and government failed to find alternatives to fund all students.
In total, 24 739 applications were received by Nsfaf, of which 15 087 qualified for assistance. The remaining 9 650 did not meet the funding requirements for student assistance.
Nanso Secretary General Simon Taapopi yesterday confirmed the suspension of the quartet, saying some were present when the two-third-majority decision was taken to be heard by an Independent Disciplinary Committee (IDC).
He said the decision was collectively taken during an official session in Ongwediva of Nanso’s General Students Council (GSC), which is the organisation’s highest decision-making body between congress, comprised of, National Executive Committee (NEC) members, all 14 regional chairpersons, technical or administrative staff.
“After due consideration and deliberation, GSC has taken note of the nature and seriousness of all comrades’ actions and contradictions of bringing the organisation into disrepute, theft by false pretence and insubordination, which has also been widely covered in the electronic and traditional media,” Taapopi said.
He said Kavau who is vice-president face charges of insubordination and bringing the organisation into disrepute.
Hihanguapo who is Nanso National Secretary for Information in the NEC faces charges on counts of theft under false pretence, insubordination, bringing the organisation into disrepute and harassment.
Taapopi said Amunime face charges of insubordination, unreasonable social behaviour of harassment, using abusive language against members, bringing the organisation into disrepute.
Equally, Taapopi confirmed Ngolo also faces charges of insubordination, unreasonable social behaviour of harassment, using abusive language against members, bringing the organisation into disrepute.
“All comrades are informed of their immediate suspension and preparations for the disciplinary proceedings instituted against them by the IDC are well underway,” Taapopi said.
According to him, during the suspension, all the suspended members will be required to comply with certain conditions.
These include that they will not exercise any duty in their capacity as Nanso members, they won’t attend any Nanso meeting or any of its structures, except for the purpose of the IDC hearing and the pending disciplinary proceedings to be instituted against them.
Other conditions include that they will not address any Nanso or any of its structures, whether as invited guests, and they will not make any public statement on any matter pertaining to Nanso.
Taapopi said these immediate suspensions of all the members took effect as of Saturday. “GSC is clear that these members are disempowered of their rights to act on Nanso’s behalf, until the disciplinary matter is heard and resolved by the Nanso Independent Disciplinary Committee,” he maintained.