‘Geingob told me not to support NNN’– Hauwanga

Businessman Ben Hauwanga claims that former president Hage Geingob had told him to stop campaigning for president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah in the run up to Swapo elective congress in 2022.

Hauwanga made the allegations in an interview with Omulunga Radio on Friday.

Before he mentioned Geingob’s name, Hauwanga said that he would tell the truth as it would set him free.

“During the campaign, I was called by president Hage Geingob and then he told me that I should not campaign for Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah. He told me to support his preferred candidate,” he said.

Hauwanga said that although Geingob told him to stop, he continued campaigning for Nandi-Ndaitwah.

The businessman was being interviewed about allegations made against him by Ongwediva resident Potgieter Vilho in voice recordings that were circulated on social media.

In some of the audios, Vilho alleged that Hauwanga’s entity was contracted by the Angolan Ministry of Defence and was paid millions in US dollars and Hauwanga refused to give him (Vilho) his share.

Hauwanga dismissed these claims as untruthful and politically motivated.

Hauwanga was one of Nandi-Ndaitwah’s campaigners in the run-up to the 2022 Swapo elective congress.

In 2022, some of Nandi-Ndaitwah’s delegates were accommodated at apartments owned by Hauwanga at Omusheshe village east of Ongwediva in the Oshana region.

Following Vilho’s claims, Hauwanga has since filed a N$500 000 lawsuit against Vilho in the High Court.

In the court document, Hauwanga alleged that Vilho’s statements depicted him as being a dishonest businessman, a land grabber, stupid, dishonest, a beneficiary of corruption and not worthy of being associated with Nandi-Ndaitwah’s political campaign.

Hauwanga is also claiming that Vilho alleged he owed money to Vilho, and alleged Hauwanga used the money owed to Vilho in 2022 in Nandi-Ndaitwah’s political campaign against then prime minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila and environment and tourism minister Pohamba Shifeta.

Hauwanga is asking the court to order Vilho to pay him N$500 000 because of these comments, and to declare Vilho’s remarks false and defamatory.

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