2015-09-28Staff Report 2 Windhoek With government admitting last week that there is no law in place governing the remuneration of the vice-president, Nudo says it will soon table a motion demanding that Vice-President Nickey Iyambo pay back the money he has been paid since assuming office in March. “Nudo is calling the vice-president to pay back the money, because he was receiving an illegal salary or non-promulgated salary. Nudo party members of parliament will very soon table a motion to request the blessing from the August house to pass an unopposed motion that will demand the vice-president pay back the money,” said the party’s deputy secretary general Vetaruhe Kandorozu. New Era on Friday reported that Presidential Affairs Minister Frans Kapofi acknowledged on Thursday that there has been a delay in amending the President Remuneration and Other Benefits Act of 2012, which would guide the remuneration and benefits of Vice-President Nickey Iyambo. “This is corruption of the highest order at the level of State House. The fact that the changes to the Constitution were done in a hasty manner meant the systematical approaches when it comes to any amendment of any legal instruments were ignored,” he claims. “Those who are responsible for this must be held accountable and the judicial system must take its course,” said Kandorozu, who also serves as the Regional Councilor for Okakarara Constituency. He called on the presidency to make public the salary and benefits of the five presidential advisers, and accused Kapofi of taking taxpayers for granted by requesting those who want to know the salaries of the advisers to go to his office, instead of just making it public. Kandorozu argued that the salary scale of “all government positions, regardless of the rank” be made public. “What is so special about the presidential advisers. Taxpayers want to know how much they are spending on these advisors,” he said. Kapofi was at pains last week to explain the legal basis on which the VP is currently paid. “At present, the remuneration and benefits of the president and his or her spouse are catered for by the President Remuneration and Other Benefits Act of 2012,” Kapofi told lawmakers in the National Assembly last week. “However, this law does not provide for the remuneration and benefits of the vice-president.” Kapofi said the VP’s salary is 10 percent higher than that of the prime minister (PM). The PM currently earns around N$1.2 million per annum, meaning the VP gets around N$1.3 million during the same timeframe – or about N$110 000 per month. Kapofi did not explain the criteria used to decide that the VP should be paid 10 percent higher than the PM. He said the President Remuneration and Other Benefits Bill of 2015 has been drafted and would be tabled during the current session. Kapofi stated that the advisors enjoy certain perks, including housing and transport allowance and medical aid benefits, as approved by the Public Officer Bearers’ Commission. 2015-09-28Staff Report 2
