Former deputy prime minister Natangwe Ithete has reportedly not received his parliamentary salary for four months due to administrative delays following his dismissal from the Cabinet.
Ithete, who also served as minister of mines and energy from March to October last year, was fired by president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, but has stayed on in parliament as an ordinary member.
Following his removal from the executive, the former minister reverted to his position as a member of the National Assembly, a role that fetches a monthly salary of about N$45 000.
The Namibian has, however, been informed that Ithete has not been placed on the parliament’s payroll due to the absence of an official directive confirming his removal from the Cabinet.
There has reportedly been no formal communication to the National Assembly authorising the processing of his salary as an ordinary parliamentarian.
The lack of clarity has allegedly led to Ithete not being paid since October. A source who sympathised with the former minister has told The Namibian that this transfer letter could include reasons for the former minister’s removal from his previous role.
The president has in the past failed to publicly explain why she has dismissed Ithete.
A close associate says Ithete has been in financial distress, with unpaid personal loans and lapsed insurance policies due to not being paid his salary.
Ithete yesterday declined to comment, as he has been doing since being fired last year.
His associates say the former minister has been asking government officials to transfer his file to the parliament, with no success.
“Officials of the Ministry of Industries, Mines and Energy told him that it is like he went awol. At the National Assembly, they are quiet.
“They are not putting him on the payroll. The man has not been paid even for February. He is now in arrears with his personal loans and his policies have lapsed,” one associate says.
However, National Assembly executive director Esther Kaapanda yesterday said she was not aware of the matter, saying The Namibian should contact Ithete himself.
“Find out from him, because I’m not aware of that and I don’t think that is the case, but he can confirm himself,” she said.
Presidential spokesperson Jonas Mbambo yesterday said the matter is “purely a human resource issue” and that the Office of the President has no control over it.
Executive director of industries, mines and energy Moses Pakote was not reachable for comment at the time of going to print yesterday.
He did not respond to a text message sent to him.
Ithete rose to popularity in the past few years due to his push for 50% Namibian ownership in mines and natural resources.
“We are actively consulting with industry stakeholders on mechanisms that will promote 51% Namibian ownership in new mining ventures,” he has said in the past.
He has not publicly shared his account of the events leading to his removal.
However, his associates and supporters believe members of the president’s inner circle may have influenced the decision after he pushed back against an oil pipeline deal – a claim that could not be independently verified.
It has also been said that his renewal of petroleum exploration licence 37, which went to Paragon Oil & Gas, a company owned by business duo Desmond Amunyela and Lazarus Jacobs, may have led to his firing.
Paragon has in the past denied any wrongdoing in the licence renewal.
Ithete was recently nominated to serve on the parliamentary standing committee on poverty eradication, labour and industrial relations.
Political commentator Ndumba Kamwanyah says since Ithete was only dismissed from the Cabinet, he should have continued receiving his salary and benefits from the National Assembly, where he currently serves.
“I believe it has to do with institutional incompetence. When he reverted to full parliamentary duties, the officials did not competently reintegrate him into the system.
“I suspect it has to do with administrative and institutional incapacity to rectify the situation swiftly,” he says.
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