WINDHOEK – The secretary of information and publicity of the Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP), Jeremia Nambinga, has condemned the City of Windhoek for selling a piece of land to Deputy Minister of Veteran Affairs, Hilma Nicanor at a discount.
“The Rally for Democracy and Progress was shocked to learn about the selling of a prime piece of land worth one million (dollars) by the City of Windhoek to Swapo Party Deputy Minister Hilma Nicanor for only N$340 000,” Nambinga said in press statement issued on Monday. According to him attempts by Windhoek mayor, Agnes Kafula, supported by Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Niilo Taapopi to defend the sale not only exposed the ruling party’s political arrogance and insensitivity, but it is also proof that corruption is deeply entrenched in all Swapo Party-led structures and is being consolidated on a daily basis. “Their arguments that Nicanor was getting special preference, because she was living in another town and region, and because of her appointment as deputy minister who has now moved to Windhoek where she needs land to build a house doesn’t hold water,” said the opposition politician. “One’s appointment as a deputy minister and her subsequent relocation to a different town should not be a qualifying factor for the City of Windhoek’s Council to perpetuate this naked corruption. In fact, the responsibility of ensuring an appointed and relocated person has accommodation should lie with the appointing authority and not with the municipality,” he added. He further says the mayor’s remarks that she wants to see citizens of this country treated equally expose the Windhoek City Council’s political ignorance and hypocrisy. “How can citizens be treated equally when some are offered a discount of N$660 000, while others have to pay the full amount for their plots,” he asked, adding “we are seeing on almost a weekly basis the demolition of poor people’s shacks for allegedly having erected them illegally without the municipality having made alternative arrangements for them.”
Nambinga further asked whether the Windhoek City Council knows that preferential treatment for some people at the expense of others is discriminatory and therefore against the Namibian constitution, which prohibits discrimination on whatever grounds. “It is shameful that the City of Windhoek is actually in the process of drafting a policy to ensure that national leaders are corruptly offered land at lower prices at the expense of ordinary Namibian citizens,” the outspoken politician charged. “We know that his Excellency President Pohamba likes to find refuge in the Anti-Corruption Commission whenever corrupt cases crop up. Would he still need to refer this naked corrupt act of his Deputy Minister to the Anti-Corruption Commission,” he asked.
By Kuzeeko Tjitemisa