DTA condemns Nujoma speech

THE DTA party has strongly condemned statements made by former President Sam Nujoma at Ongwediva last weekend, where he said the British should be ‘hit with a hammer in the head’.

‘This kind of hate speech is inciting and it is not befitting for the former Head of State to make such utterances against foreigners as it is tarnishing the image of Namibia, scares investors away and we can lose donor aid from foreign countries,’ DTA Secretary General McHenry Venaani said yesterday.’We call on President Hifikepunye Pohamba, who is also the president of the ruling Swapo Party, to impress on Sam Nujoma, the Father of the Nation, to apologise,’ Venaani demanded.Nujoma reportedly said Germans a century ago poisoned water wells to harm Herero-speaking Namibians after their uprising against German colonial rule and he then lashed out against the British who were allegedly harming Zimbabwe and the government of its president Robert Mugabe.Zimbabwe was a former British colony.’The words of former President Nujoma might scare any British tourist coming here who might fear that they will be hit with a hammer over their head when landing in Windhoek,’ Venaani added.’Nujoma made his inciting remarks at a public rally of the ruling Swapo Party and some reaction should come from that party, which has remained silent so far about the incident.’ According to Venaani, Nujoma’s words also violated the code of conduct signed by all political parties in 1999. Among other things the code of conduct stipulates that ‘speakers at political rallies may not use language which incites violence in any form against any other person or group of persons. Parties will not issue pamphlets, newsletters or posters which contain materials which incite people to violence.’ The code also prescribes that ‘party leaders will issue directions to their members and supporters to observe this code of conduct, and take all other necessary steps to ensure compliance.’ Earlier this year, Nujoma publicly stated that Germans should be shot between the eyes. The Namibian has reliably learnt that the heads of several diplomatic missions in Windhoek have approached Namibia’s Foreign Ministry for an explanation of Nujoma’s utterances.