Windhoek
The Swapo Party Youth League (SPYL) has sprung to the defence of President Hage Geingob whom it says is at the receiving end of an orchestrated vicious campaign by The Namibian newspaper.
Minister of Presidential Affairs Frans Kapofi also came out strongly against the country’s oldest English daily, after its perceived sensational report on the Presidential Remuneration and Other Benefits Bill. Kapofi tabled the Bill in the National Assembly last week.
The Namibian newspaper’s editor, Tangeni Amupadhi, stood by the report on the matter and dismissed claims that there is an agenda against Geingob.
The Namibian, in its report, drew a comparison between Geingob’s salary and that of his predecessor,
Hifikepunye Pohamba, with the incumbent set to earn 15 percent more, according to the Bill.
Calling him a “millionaire president”, the newspaper questioned who determined the salaries of the president, vice-president and prime minister and highlighted other perks such as the entertainment allowance accorded the president.
Both Kapofi and SPYL acting secretary and member of parliament, Veikko Nekundi, said the report was negative and deliberately designed to cast aspersions on Geingob.
“This statement was intended to tarnish the good reputation of the President Cde Dr Hage G. Geingob, who has been elected overwhelmingly by the people of Namibia,” Nekundi said in the SPYL statement issued on Friday.
“It is for reasons only known to The Namibian newspaper why they embark upon this dirty campaign on the person of the President of Namibia,” he stated further.
Both Nekundi and Kapofi said the issue is quoted out of context to achieve the interest only known to the daily.
“It should be made categorically clear and it is a known fact that the executive does not determine its own salary. The Public Office-Bearers Remuneration and Benefit Commission (POBC) has been established by law to do just that,” Nekundi said.
“Although they have that function of determining the remuneration and conditions of public office-bearers, they recommended to parliament for validation of such decision. That is why the salaries of the president and the vice-president are being discussed before the august House.”
“The Namibian must tell the truth on what agenda they have against the president and the Swapo-led government and by trying to lobby for public support.”
Kapofi said by drawing a comparison between the salaries of Geingob and Pohamba, the newspaper is driving “an artificial wedge” between the two leaders.
He said the tabling of the remuneration Bill is, in itself, proof that government is committed to transparency.
“There is nothing to hide about the salary and benefits payable to the president, vice-president and prime minister,” he said in a statement issued in parliament on Friday.
“It is a sad indictment when a newspaper uses its position to denigrate our national leaders and treat them with contempt and disrespect.”
The SPYL said as international practice there is usually a benchmark for a salary gap between a president and vice-president, and the norm is between 10 and 30 percent.
“However, we applaud the POBC for taking into consideration that a 15 percent was recommended. This shows that the decision was taken considering the fact that we have considerable, and are yet frugal in the management of, public resources,” he said.
“As a militant youth wing of the party, we encourage responsible reporting by journalists and we expect them to respect the media ethics of reporting with fairness. We also urge you to verify facts before you go ballistic like unguided missiles when reporting on public affairs.”
Press secretary in the presidency, Albertus Aochamub, in an opinion piece published in this edition (see page 7) also questioned the report by The Namibian, and questioned the newspaper’s commitment to ethical, fair and objective reporting.
Responding to the accusations, Amupadhi asked: ”What was incorrect or non-factual in the story? If they can point that out, we are ready to retract the story and issue an apology.”
“The only agenda we have is to report on what is happening and we have been consistent about this since the days of Botha, Nujoma, Pohamba and now Geingob. We have to provide context for our readers.”
On accusations that the newspaper was being sensational by labelling Geingob a “millionaire president”, Amupadhi said: “We actually underreported by calling him a millionaire. He is, by his own account, actually a multi-millionaire, unless he was not being truthful about his wealth announced last year.”