Kuzeeko Tjitemisa
Windhoek-Minister of Home Affairs and Immigration, Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana, says there is no bad blood between President Hage Geingob and her.
This, despite media reports suggesting Geingob has asked Iivula-Ithana and Minister of Youth and Sport, Jerry Ekandjo, to resign to save them the embarrassment of being fired.
Confidente newspaper yesterday reported that Geingob had called on both Iivula-Ithana and Ekandjo to clarify how they wished to continue serving in his government after their transgression on collective leadership.
But Iivula-Ithana yesterday denied she had received such communication, saying if there was anybody with such information it is Confidente newspaper.
“Find out about those letters from Confidente. They seem to know better. Just ask Confidente. It seems Confidente is the mouthpiece of I don’t know who,” she said.
“One thing that surprises me is the fact that I have served this government for more than 27 years, and I have corresponded with all three of my presidents but there was never a day whereby the media linked me and the President. I am really so surprised,” she said.
Iivula-Ithana said she does not correspond with the President through the media and she also does not expect him to correspond with her through the media. State House spokesperson, Albertus Aochamub, also said he did not know about any such request for resignations.
Iivula-Ithana and Ekandjo were part of the now dispersed Team Swapo that desperately campaigned against Team Harambee for Swapo Party top positions during the recent Swapo Party elective congress.
Team Swapo accused the Geingob administration of being the cause of economic instability and rising youth unemployment in the country as well as self-enrichment by the elite.
They also accused their rivals in Team Harambee of giving job opportunities to foreigners at the expense of Namibians.
“Swapo is weak and needs cadres like him to rescue government from its economic slumber,” New Era quoted Ekandjo saying.