The Anti-Corruption Commision is investigating allegations of widespread favouritism and cronyism in the Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation.
ACC spokesperson Josefina Nghituwamata confirmed to The Namibian yesterday that they had received a complaint from whistleblowers, saying a case has been opened.
She added that a preliminary evaluation to determine if it falls under the ACC mandate has been carried out “This particular information was communicated to the ACC through anonymous reporting.
Choosing to make a report anonymously remains a challenge for investigators to follow up with the complainant to obtain more nformation or to discuss the matter further as well as to update the complainant on the status thereof,” Nghituwamata said.
The ministry has denied any wrongdoing.
The ministry said this in response to questions about a letter from a whistleblower who called on the ACC, the Public Service Commission (PSC) and the Office of the Ombudsman.
The three state bodies were asked to investigate several alleged iregularities, such as “favouritism, unethical administration and other unfair practices”.
The whistleblower described the recruitment process, including tests, as “a dubious act in the deployment of diplomats to Namibian missions”.
It is alleged that the former executive director of international relations and cooperation, Selma Ashipala-Musavyi, set up both oral and written tests while it is usually conducted by panellists.
At some point oral interviews were allegedly in limbo with no concrete date set, but were reintroduced after those allegedly linked to the retired executive director did not perform well on the written interview.
The whistleblower said in the letter sent late last year that information shared about the interviews was sketchy, untimely and inaccurate.
“Ninety-five percent of that prediction became true,” the letter read.
The whistleblower called on the president to intervene.
“Can the president please give us leaders who are both for us and the international community, because the current ones can’t balance the status quo. All they do is New Year’s greetings and end-of-year function speeches,” the letter said.
These concerns come amid concerns that some foreign jobs are reserved for a certain group.
“There are some countries, no matter how good a staff member is, she can’t allow you to go – especially New York,” a source told The Namibian last week.
DENIAL
Acting executive director in the ministry Rebbeca Iyambo last week rejected suggestions that individuals were victimised for raising their grievances.
She said the ministry subscribes to the country’s labour laws and encourages individuals to follow complaints procedures.
“In fact, we would be happy to be informed of any grievance that was not addressed by the relevant departments within the ministry,” she said.
Iyambo said the ministry has a posting policy which guides the assignment of foreign service officials to Namibia’s diplomatic missions, saying all appointments have for years been done according to that policy.
“We foresee no deviation from the policy for purposes of assigning Namibians to go and do diplomatic work abroad,” she said.
“The ministry has a professional diplomatic service and is not run by a clique of individuals as alleged.
That will be gross disregard of the laws of the country,” she added. Iyambo said Ashipala-Musavyi
made enormous contributions to the review of the ministry’s operations, policies and international relations.
“Another significant star on her name is the Dr Theo-Ben Gurirab Lecture Series that she introduced to celebrate and honour the memory of one of our country’s foremost diplomats,” Iyambo said. Musavyi-Ashipala retired in June 2020 after seven years as the ministry’s accounting officer.
The Namibian last week reported that ambassador Penda Naanda is poised for that position, something the ministry also denied.
Iyambo said: “A substantive executive director will be appointed once due process by the relevant and competent authorities has been completed. Therefore, your allegation that ambassador Naanda is tipped to take over the position remains mere speculation.”
Those in support of Naanda said some officials are probably afraid of him.
SILENT BATTLE
The employment of senior officials at the international relations ministry has sucked in prime minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila and international relations minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah.
Kuugongelwa-Amadhila allegedly turned down a request by Nandi-Ndaitwah to extend Musavyi-Ashipala’s term.
One of the people who is allegedly victimised is close to the prime minister.
“The power struggle is about the next president between the two. The campaign has started on who shines in their work – both at party and government level,” a source close to the matter said.
Nandi-Ndaitwah, who is the current deputy prime minister and Swapo vice president, is tipped to be one of the candidates to vie for the presidential position.
The other possible contender for that position could be Kuugongelwa-Amadhila.
The prime minister has so far not indicated whether she wants the top position.
She has, however, enforced her authority in the last few months and made appointments which raised eyebrows.
Kuugongelwa-Amadhila removed executive directors from the ACC and ministries such as that of fisheries and transport.
She did not answer questions sent to her last week.
She shot down claims that she wanted to capture the ACC. She said this in parliament earlier this month.
Kuugongelwa-Amadhila also reversed the appointment of the chief investigator at the ACC.
One of the people vying for that position is Ananias Iyambo, the ministry’s head of security and risk-management services.
Iyambo worked as a tax official at the department of inland revenue when Kuugongelwa-Amadhila was the finance minister.
