Give State House to Nujoma, urges MP

By: LINDSAY DENTLINGER

PRESIDENT Sam Nujoma should receive his current official residence as a gift when he retires next year, Swapo backbencher Doreen Sioka said yesterday.

Sioka, who was nominated as one of the President's 10 preferred

National Assembly members at the party's electoral college over the

weekend, told the House that Nujoma deserved State House as "a

great leader, hero and father of the nation".

She proposed that it be handed to him as soon as the current

multi-million-dollar new state house complex in Auasblick was

completed.

 

Debate on the Former Presidents' Pension and Other Benefits Bill

started yesterday after it was introduced by Justice Minister

Albert Kawana almost two weeks ago.

 

Sioka felt the benefits proposed in the bill did not match up to

what Nujoma had done for the country.

 

In terms of the bill, Nujoma will receive a pension equal to a

full salary, a tax-free gratuity equal to his current annual

salary, medical aid benefits, housing or an allowance, three

vehicles and about 30 household, security and office staff.

 

"The news media should not stop us from doing the right

thing.

 

Even though their prediction [of offering State House to Nujoma]

is to prevent us from giving the right gift to the former

President," Sioka said.

 

The bill under discussion is not only to provide for a

retirement package for Nujoma, but all future Namibian presidents

once they step down.

 

Sioka said Nujoma had sacrificed getting an education and spent

years in exile without receiving a salary or being able to

contribute to a pension fund.

 

She said that after three terms in office, the President had

hardly accumulated a large enough pension.

 

Sioka appealed to Cabinet to consider her proposal and went as

far as to suggest that it consider building houses for MPs such as

Prisons Minister Andimba Toivo ya Toivo, who were unable to

accumulate a pension during the liberation years.

 

The Monitor Action Group's Kosie Pretorius said the language

used in the bill gave him the impression that the bill was

specifically designed to cater for Nujoma, and not for all future

former Namibian presidents.

 

Traditionally quick to point out when lawmakers have faulted in

abiding by the law, Pretorius once again brought to the attention

of the House that it had failed over the years to adjust the

President's salary by law, as required by the Constitution.

 

According to Pretorius, the President's basic salary was still

set at R180 000 in terms of an Act of 1990.

 

He appealed for clarity on what exactly Nujoma's basic salary

is, to allow a better informed debate on the subject.

 

Pretorius said he did not support a pension for a former

president paid with taxpayers' money, because it served

party-political purposes and was not in the national interest.

 

Pretorius likened the situation to the State paying the salary

of Swapo Secretary General Ngarikutuke Tjiriange, who holds no

Government portfolio.

 

He said he was not sure whether a future former leader from

another political party would receive the same benefits as those

proposed for Nujoma.

 

Deputy Basic Education Minister Buddy Wentworth, however, did

not seem to think that Nujoma's package would be excessive.

 

He claimed it was "inferior" to what former South African

presidents received 20 years ago.

 

"On what basis do you feel the President of Namibia should

receive an inferior package?" he asked Pretorius.

 

Pretorius said the President's salary package had to be revealed

first and there had to be clarity on the legal status thereof,

before he could comment.

 

The debate continues today.

 

She proposed that it be handed to him as soon as the current

multi-million-dollar new state house complex in Auasblick was

completed.Debate on the Former Presidents' Pension and Other

Benefits Bill started yesterday after it was introduced by Justice

Minister Albert Kawana almost two weeks ago.Sioka felt the benefits

proposed in the bill did not match up to what Nujoma had done for

the country.In terms of the bill, Nujoma will receive a pension

equal to a full salary, a tax-free gratuity equal to his current

annual salary, medical aid benefits, housing or an allowance, three

vehicles and about 30 household, security and office staff."The

news media should not stop us from doing the right thing.Even

though their prediction [of offering State House to Nujoma] is to

prevent us from giving the right gift to the former President,"

Sioka said.The bill under discussion is not only to provide for a

retirement package for Nujoma, but all future Namibian presidents

once they step down.Sioka said Nujoma had sacrificed getting an

education and spent years in exile without receiving a salary or

being able to contribute to a pension fund.She said that after

three terms in office, the President had hardly accumulated a large

enough pension.Sioka appealed to Cabinet to consider her proposal

and went as far as to suggest that it consider building houses for

MPs such as Prisons Minister Andimba Toivo ya Toivo, who were

unable to accumulate a pension during the liberation years.The

Monitor Action Group's Kosie Pretorius said the language used in

the bill gave him the impression that the bill was specifically

designed to cater for Nujoma, and not for all future former

Namibian presidents.Traditionally quick to point out when lawmakers

have faulted in abiding by the law, Pretorius once again brought to

the attention of the House that it had failed over the years to

adjust the President's salary by law, as required by the

Constitution.According to Pretorius, the President's basic salary

was still set at R180 000 in terms of an Act of 1990.He appealed

for clarity on what exactly Nujoma's basic salary is, to allow a

better informed debate on the subject.Pretorius said he did not

support a pension for a former president paid with taxpayers'

money, because it served party-political purposes and was not in

the national interest.Pretorius likened the situation to the State

paying the salary of Swapo Secretary General Ngarikutuke Tjiriange,

who holds no Government portfolio.He said he was not sure whether a

future former leader from another political party would receive the

same benefits as those proposed for Nujoma.Deputy Basic Education

Minister Buddy Wentworth, however, did not seem to think that

Nujoma's package would be excessive.He claimed it was "inferior" to

what former South African presidents received 20 years ago."On what

basis do you feel the President of Namibia should receive an

inferior package?" he asked Pretorius.Pretorius said the

President's salary package had to be revealed first and there had

to be clarity on the legal status thereof, before he could

comment.The debate continues today.

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