Windhoek
The Swapo Party Youth League (SPYL) has no money – for the time being at least – after its acting secretary Veikko Nekundi instructed First National Bank and Bank Windhoek to freeze the youth wing’s bank accounts.
Nekundi gave the instructions on Monday in separate letters – seen by New Era – written to both banks, with instructions to freeze the accounts with immediate effect.
The SPYL has three bank accounts at FNB, an operational account, special events account and a 32-days account, while at Bank Windhoek it has its 12 May Movement account.
“In the context of my fiduciary responsibility provided for by the Swapo Party Youth League Constitution Article (1)(a), I hereby instruct you (Bank Windhoek) that the SPYL account under the name 12 May Movement, account number 8003249886,
held with your institution be frozen with immediate effect until further notice,” his letter reads in part.
FNB was served with a similar letter, instructing the bank to freeze all three accounts. The letters were copied to party secretary general Nangolo Mbumba, as well as the party’s secretary for finance, Immanuel Ngatjizeko.
SPYL insiders claim over N$150 000 was withdrawn from the different SPYL accounts without the authorisation of Nekundi.
“Even if there was money used, the money belongs to the youth league. There are always signed cheques kept in a safe place, that are used in case there is a situation where money is needed, but the signatories are not around,” a well-placed source said.
The source also claimed that Nekundi’s decision to instruct the banks to freeze the accounts was a unilateral one, as it was not based on a resolution taken by the NEC.
Mbumba yesterday confirmed that he had received the letter, but said the matter is a SPYL issue. “I’m aware of the letter. I do not think you can run an administration where other people can authorise expenditure without your authority,” Mbumba said briefly.
The signatories to some of the accounts include expelled SPYL secretary Dr Elijah Ngurare, Nekundi, and the secretary for finance and administration, Ramona Hidileko.
Nekundi yesterday confirmed giving the instructions, but refused to divulge further details. He also declined to respond when asked whether it is true that funds have been withdrawn from the SPYL account without proper authorisation.
With Ngurare expelled, Nekundi and Hidileko are the only legitimate signatories to the accounts. Efforts to get hold of Hidileko proved futile as her mobile phone went unanswered yesterday.
Peaceful co-existence between the two factions within the youth movement has become a distant dream since Ngurare’s expulsion from the party in July. A majority of SPYL NEC members are Ngurare sympathisers, while Nekundi is mostly supported by members of the Central Committee. The situation is so tense that Ngurare-aligned NEC members opted to boycott the youth league’s CC meeting in August.
The youth league will have a central committee meeting this coming Saturday, preceded by a national executive committee meeting on Friday. The SPYL bank accounts will most likely be one of the issues high up on the agenda. There are also talks that new signatories to the bank accounts would be appointed.
The regional and local government elections are only 51 days away and the SPYL leadership will be under pressure to resolve this issue swiftly in order to clear access to its funds, if there are any plans of the youth league joining the campaign trail of the ruling party next month.