Maihapa Ndjavera
Former education minister David Namwandi has vehemently denied any involvement in the Malaysian-owned Limkokwing University saga. Namwandi, minister of higher education Itah Kandjii-Murangi and former Namibia Students Financial Assistance Fund (NSFAF) CEO Hilya Nghiwete have so far all been accused of facilitating the establishment of the university, in a document circulating on social media this week.
However, Namwandi, in a statement earlier this week dismissed reports that he facilitated the establishment of Limkokwing University in Namibia. “The allegation that the Limkokwing University in Namibia was my idea is gravely erroneous and devoid of any truth. What I can confirm, however, is that Limkokwing University was amongst several universities in Malaysia that were identified jointly by the High Commission of Namibia in Malaysia for Namibian students to pursue their studies,” said Namwandi.
He reiterated: “I have nothing to do with the facilitation of sponsoring students at Limkokwing University in Namibia, nor did I facilitate its establishment in Namibia. Those who did that, must explain their intentions squarely to the nation without encroaching on the rights of others.”
In September, in the National Assembly, Kandjii-Murangi denied her involvement in the establishment of the institution, saying people want to tarnish her name and reputation. Kandjii-Murangi said any allegations linking her to the establishment of the Limkokwing University of Creative Technology in Namibia were aimed at portraying her as corrupt. She said Limkokwing is solely owned by Malaysians and denied that her ministry has signed an agreement which requires government to pay for the university to be established in Namibia.
“These are all fabrications that are aimed at tarnishing my good name and reputation,” she said. The document by an unknown author titled ‘Limkokwing University – is a baby of David Namwandi and Hilya Nghiwete’s corrupt deals and has nothing to do with Itah Kandjii-Murangi’ further suggested the two took a trip in 2011 to Malaysia, which allegedly produced the establishment of the university in Namibia.
At the time, NSFAF was under the ministry and Hilya Nghiwete was an under permanent secretary, while Namwandi was a deputy minister. Then minister, Abraham Iyambo, apparently did not approve these arrangements by Namwandi and Nghiwete, when it was presented to him.
The author added that by end of 2012, about 157 students were picked to go study in Malaysia, of which 83 students were sent to Limkokwing University.
It alleged Nghiwete’s relatives were handpicked for the first Limkokwing intake: “Hilya Nghiwete corruptly used her office to ensure that six of the scholarship beneficiaries to Limkokwing University and another institute were her relatives. In the report, it was stated that the public was informed that Malaysian “Dattoes” (Limkokwing University and three others) were offering scholarships to Namibians, and in the end, the Malaysians did not pay a single cent for this so-called government project.
“NSFAF paid millions of dollars per student for something that was presented to be sponsored scholarships by the Malaysians,” it stated.
According to the report, after NSFAF went out of the education ministry in 2013, Nghiwete was appointed to head NSFAF, where she continued with the promotion of Limkokwing University agenda. Furthermore, the unknown author noted Namwandi wanted Limkokwing University to come collaborate with IUM and help his university to improve its IT and technical subjects.
Namwandi said, “I wish to ask the author(s) to provide documentary proof of what they are accusing me of. Notwithstanding, if the author(s) have proof of what they are alleging, why don’t they approach the ACC, instead of fabricating stories to their defence, and why are they writing documents without names?”Attempts to get a comment from Nghiwete proved futile.
-mndjavera@nepc.com.na