Naholo vowed on Friday that he would return to the offices this morning despite an order from a section of the union's Central Executive Committee not to do so because, they say, he was expelled from his job.

A first attempt to remove him from the union premises on Friday failed.

The Police arrived at Naholo's media briefing, they did not have a court order.

Naholo said "stupid idiots" with an agenda of hate and division had removed him as acting Secretary General while he was on leave in December but the "plot" was unsuccessful because they were a "useless" bunch being used by "somebody behind them".

"These are idiots who know nothing.

Cowards.

It was a plot by a few Windhoek-based people.

Idiots who came together and decided to remove me.

It was the big joke of 2005," Naholo said on Friday.

Towards the end of last year, a group of leaders from some NUNW affiliates issued a statement backing Swapo President Sam Nujoma's account of the events of April 1 1989.

They said the support for Nujoma was decided at a NUNW leadership meeting, but Naholo wrote a letter to fellow union leaders and took issue with them over the statement.

He said the NUNW had never decided to issue such a statement, as claimed by those who released it behind his and NUNW President Risto Kapenda's back.

Claiming that it was a collective decision of all NUNW affiliates, the statement backed Nujoma's denials that he was to blame for the deaths of hundreds of Swapo fighters as the then commander-in-chief of the ruling party's military wing.

However, Naholo said a letter was issued by the secretariat calling for wider consultations "as well as prudent consideration of the matter around which the media statement revolved".

NUNW first vice president Alpheus Muheua and the others then called a meeting and expelled Naholo from office.

Muheua maintained that they had followed the right procedures and the NUNW constitution before sacking Naholo and, therefore, there was nothing to be discussed.

He said they had also instructed the Police not to allow Naholo on the union premises and had taken back the union's vehicle he was using.

On Friday, Naholo demanded that they return his office keys "without time wasting".

"If they fail to do so, I will refer the matter to the Police.

I am prepared for worse.

Nothing more, nothing less," he said.

He said the "anarchists and opportunists" realised that they would be outvoted at the upcoming NUNW congress and "now want to clear the minefield".

"These are bandits who are trying to rob the union with cheap emotional attempts that have no appeal to the workers.

They have committed treason against workers and rendered themselves useless.

They don't know the consequences of their actions," Naholo claimed.

Muheua claimed that the decision to expel Naholo was taken by more than two-thirds of the NUNW's affiliate unions.

Both Naholo and Kapenda were absent from the NUNW Central Executive Committee meeting which decided to fire the acting SG.

Muheua said both were invited but made excuses.

Naholo said on Friday he was on leave at the time and was never invited.

Sources at the NUNW said Naholo was not on leave.

They claim he did not submit an application form for leave.

Naholo was appointed by the NUNW Central Executive Committee after the resignation of Ranga Haikali.

A number of unionists feel that sections of the NUNW are in breach of labour laws by not conducting a disciplinary hearing before "dismissing" Naholo.

Muheua said Naholo was elected to office and was, therefore, not an employee.

"He was supposed to have been elected.

We couldn't have another congress just for him to take office," Muheua said.

Sources speculated that Naholo might take the NUNW to the labour court for unfair dismissal.

Infighting in the umbrella union, which is affiliated to Swapo, will heat up as the congress in March nears.

A new leadership will be elected at that congress that will have 10 voting rights at next year's Swapo congress, where a new leader will be elected for the ruling party.

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