By Catherine Sasman WINDHOEK The National Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW) yesterday expressed its unconditional support for the Oshana Regional Council’s decision not to allow Professor Joe Diescho to conduct a workshop, which was to be held in February. “(The) gist of their problem lies in the fact that there had been no proper consultations between themselves as a regional government and the Office of the Prime Minister prior to the announcement of who the workshop facilitator was going to be,” said NUNW Secretary-General Evilastus Kaaronda. The councillors boycotted the training workshop organized by the Office of the Prime Minister, claiming that the facilitator – Diescho – was inordinately critical of the powers that be “in an unjustifiable manner”. Diescho’s lawyers, Koep & Partners, subsequently claimed damages to his professional reputation of N$250ÃÆ’Æ‘ÀÃ…ÃÆ”šÃ‚ 000, failing a council apology. They have stated that remarks made by Regional Councillor Klemens Kashuupulwa questioned their client’s professional credibility and standing. The council’s lawyers have been instructed to fight the lawsuit. This unfolding saga has ignited heated debate on the NBC National Radio chat shows, with many callers in favour of the beleaguered academic. “We are convinced that the regional government leadership of the Oshana Region acted within their powers and in furtherance of the SWAPO Party government policy of meaningful and participatory decentralization,” maintained Kaaronda. “Devolution of power and functions of central Government to the regions also places corresponding political responsibilities on the shoulders of the leaders at the regional government level, most especially on the governors as political heads of their respective regions.” He went on to say that the regional council has the capacity to identify a trainer of its choice who would not have raised “unnecessary political eyebrows”. “It is clear these days that the order of things in Namibia, politically speaking, revolves around leaders making choices or having to choose between risks, and once you have escaped one peril you are almost certain to fall into another,” said the union leader, adding, “Comrade Kashuupulwa and his team chose, and their choice must be respected for what it is, most especially by the progressive forces of our country.” Asked why the union thought it prudent to pronounce itself on a matter that does not relate to labour matters, the union leadership noted that, as a SWAPO-affiliated body, it had never limited itself to corporate issues, but views itself as a “social movement”. “We have every right to be in solidarity with our comrades,” answered Kaaronda. He further urged Diescho to drop charges against the council. “We stand ready to … fight in solidarity against the uncalled-for legal case against Comrade Kashuupulwa and his council,” Kaaronda said emphatically. “We urge Professor Diescho to cut his losses (reportedly in the region of N$70ÃÆ’Æ‘ÀÃ…ÃÆ”šÃ‚ 000 on lost income), if any, and find better wars to fight; this one is certainly a lost one.”