CoD’s Nora to sue Ulenga

A PROMINENT member of the Congress of Democrats (CoD) has denied allegations of theft laid against her by feuding party members and has vowed to sue for defamation of character.

Nora Schimming-Chase yesterday said she would act against Ulenga, CoD National Chairman Tsudao Gurirab and the party’s new spokesperson, Natji Tjizera. Schimming-Chase was CoD Vice President until controversial leadership elections held at Keetmanshoop in May.”They stated in public that I was supposed to have stolen a Government cheque issued for party funding last month, but I have been authorised to [receive cheques] for seven years,” Schimming-Chase told The Namibian yesterday.Schimming-Chase is also a Member of Parliament.”The National Assembly exonerated me from this alleged ‘theft’ and issued a press statement to that effect,” she added.Gurirab alleged to the Police that the Government cheque of N$265 000 had been “stolen”.In an interview yesterday, Schimming-Chase told The Namibian that the financial management of the CoD had gone haywire after the leaders controversially elected at Keetmanshoop took over.”After the 2004 national elections, the CoD had debts and we arranged for a N$500 000 overdraft.This was only possible because I, Ignatius Shixwameni and Kala Gertze signed surety for that amount.We produced collateral like treasury bills, a house and insurance policies.Ulenga, Gurirab and Rosa Namises did nothing to that effect.”By May 2 this year, the balance of the CoD’s account stood at a healthy N$144 525 but just a month later, after Keetmanshoop, it plummeted to an overdraft of N$208 627, according to documents seen by The Namibian.Schimming-Chase also questioned a withdrawal of N$50 000 allegedly made by Ulenga and retired CoD treasurer General Kaveri Kavari before the congress.In a letter dated March 16 2007, signed by Ulenga and Kavari, they requested the bank to authorise a withdrawal of N$50 000.However, in an earlier letter to the bank, dated January 15 2007, Ulenga informed the bank that he, Kala Gertze, then still Secretary General, and acting Treasurer General Faustinus Wakudumo were the only party officials authorised to sign cheques and effect transactions.”Why did Ulenga just four weeks later send a letter to the same bank co-signed by the previous treasurer, Ms Kavari, who had retired a long time before that?” An external audit report for the period from September 2005 to May 2007 alleged that the payment was made “with an unauthorised signature”.”The party is also waiting for a proper report from Tsudao Gurirab with financial statements of the 2004 elections,” Schimming-Chase told The Namibian.She alleged that an investigation carried out by the late Ulli Eins and two others into the finances and expenditure for the election campaign under Gurirab’s care found them “a disgrace, incomplete, incorrect and incomprehensible”.Schimming-Chase also alleged she had proof that Ulenga only started paying party membership fees “recently”.Neither had Namises, took over as Secretary General at Keetmanshoop, she claimed.According to the CoD constitution, only members who have paid their membership fees in full can stand for election.Attempts to reach Ulenga and Gurirab proved unsuccessful.Meanwhile, Kala Gertze has reacted to the allegations of theft against Schimming-Chase.He dismissed them as “ridiculous and a shame on the part of Mr Ulenga and Gurirab”.”Both have forgotten that they are honourable members of Namibia’s Parliament and have also forgotten that Ms Schimming-Chase is also a member of parliament,” he said in a statement.Schimming-Chase was CoD Vice President until controversial leadership elections held at Keetmanshoop in May.”They stated in public that I was supposed to have stolen a Government cheque issued for party funding last month, but I have been authorised to [receive cheques] for seven years,” Schimming-Chase told The Namibian yesterday.Schimming-Chase is also a Member of Parliament.”The National Assembly exonerated me from this alleged ‘theft’ and issued a press statement to that effect,” she added.Gurirab alleged to the Police that the Government cheque of N$265 000 had been “stolen”.In an interview yesterday, Schimming-Chase told The Namibian that the financial management of the CoD had gone haywire after the leaders controversially elected at Keetmanshoop took over.”After the 2004 national elections, the CoD had debts and we arranged for a N$500 000 overdraft.This was only possible because I, Ignatius Shixwameni and Kala Gertze signed surety for that amount.We produced collateral like treasury bills, a house and insurance policies.Ulenga, Gurirab and Rosa Namises did nothing to that effect.”By May 2 this year, the balance of the CoD’s account stood at a healthy N$144 525 but just a month later, after Keetmanshoop, it plummeted to an overdraft of N$208 627, according to documents seen by The Namibian.Schimming-Chase also questioned a withdrawal of N$50 000 allegedly made by Ulenga and retired CoD treasurer General Kaveri Kavari before the congress.In a letter dated March 16 2007, signed by Ulenga and Kavari, they requested the bank to authorise a withdrawal of N$50 000.However, in an earlier letter to the bank, dated January 15 2007, Ulenga informed the bank that he, Kala Gertze, then still Secretary General, and acting Treasurer General Faustinus Wakudumo were the only party officials authorised to sign cheques and effect transactions.”Why did Ulenga just four weeks later send a letter to the same bank co-signed by the previous treasurer, Ms Kavari, who had retired a long time before that?” An external audit report for the period from September 2005 to May 2007 alleged that the payment was made “with an unauthorised signature”.”The party is also waiting for a proper report from Tsudao Gurirab with financial statements of the 2004 elections,” Schimming-Chase told The Namibian.She alleged that an investigation carried out by the late Ulli Eins and two others into the finances and expenditure for the election campaign under Gurirab’s care found them “a disgrace, incomplete, incorrect and incomprehensible”.Schimming-Chase also alleged she had proof that Ulenga only started paying party membership fees “recently”.Neither had Namises, took over as Secretary General at Keetmanshoop, she claimed.According to the CoD constitution, only members who have paid their membership fees in full can stand for election.Attempts to reach Ulenga and Gurirab proved unsuccessful.Meanwhile, Kala Gertze has reacted to the allegations of theft against Schimming-Chase.He dismissed them as “ridiculous and a shame on the part of Mr Ulenga and Gurirab”.”Both have forgotten that they are honourable members of Namibia’s Parliament and have also forgotten that Ms Schimming-Chase is also a member of parliament,” he said in a statement.