Aletta Shikololo

WINDHOEK - A founder member of the Peter Nanyemba Plan Combatant Veterans Trust  (PNPCVT), Nkrumah Mushelenga, says contrary to suggestions that his organisation should have sought the blessing of the Namibian National Veterans Association (NNLVA), there is no need for that.

He was reacting to NNLVA president Ben Shikongo who recently spoke out strongly against the formation of PNPCVT on grounds the new organisation has no legal foundation and its establishment is not recognised by NNLVA, a veterans’ association that is recognised by government.

Mushelenga clarified that a group of former war veterans decided to establish a new trust based on Article 125 (3) of the Namibian Constitution and the Trust Monies Protection Act No. 34 of 1934. 

Speaking to New Era, Mushelenga said: “Why should we be recognised by NNLVA? I am also part of the association, which means the association and the trust are two distinctive institutions with different priorities. The trust is focusing on the socio-economic development or socio-economic benefits, while NNLVA is focusing on its members that have paid.”

Mushelenga added that their aims and objectives are to supplement government efforts or take cognisance in terms of grants and whatever they are doing. Mushelenga differentiated between the two institutions, saying NNLVA’s first objective is to protect their paid-up members, while PNPCVT has a duty to supplement current government efforts.

“We cannot let the government handle everything on its own, that is why we established this trust to assist the government on some issues while it focuses on the others. The reality is that we realised the government cannot make it on its own,” he said.

According to Mushelenga, the other reason for the establishment of the new trust is to seek  donations from those who are sympathetic to their genuine cause. 

“We also established one company with several procedures so that as we seek donations we are also applying for tenders from the government in a normal procedure like any other company. We will produce, and when we produce the government will tax the company. We will supplement the tax system and our responsibility is also to make sure that the young ones will be the masters of that opportunity in terms of employment, as they are the ones who are going to work. In that sense we are reducing the high rate of unemployment in the country,” Mushelenga further elaborated.
Mushelenga expressed shock that Shikongo could go as far as complaining about the new trust.

“Who is he to sanction this trust? In fact, he doesn’t understand the environment in which he is operating because we know the limits in whatever one is doing. Even the rights have got limits, your rights end up where my rights start and vice versa?” he added.

Mushelenga said that PNPCVT is not supposed to be under NNLVA, nor does it have to be sanctioned by NNLVA “and that’s the point he (Shikongo) doesn’t understand”.

He added: “He has no constitutional mandate and no domestic policy. So why is he concerned about PNPCVT and not by other trusts that were established in the same way? This is a constitutional trust which is done through the country’s high court.”

He said PNPCVT should not be seen as a threat to NNLVA and the association will never be a threat to them because the aims of the two entities are to improve the living conditions of Namibians. At the end of the day it is to improve the living condition of people.