Hamutenya hits back

FORMER Foreign Minister, Hidipo Hamutenya, says he was fired on false grounds, and has warned that if the Swapo extraordinary congress election is not “free and fair” it will not augur well for the country’s stability.

“It is the prerogative of the President to hire and dismiss ministers, but fabrication should not be used as the basis for dismissals,” Hamutenya told a capacity-packed conference hall at a Windhoek hotel yesterday. He then expressed the hope that Swapo polls to determine the ruling party’s presidential candidate in the November 14-15 national elections would be democratic for the outcome to be legitimate and have moral authority.”If that does not happen, then it does not augur well for the stability and unity of our people. I hope those entrusted with overseeing the [election] process will be aware of the consequences of any irregularity and misbehaviour,” he warned.Hamutenya and his deputy, Kaire Mbuende, were unceremoniously sacked by President Sam Nujoma on Monday evening, following weeks of intense campaigning, characterised by mudslinging and character assassination in some quarters.Hamutenya confirmed that Nujoma had accused them of “clandestine political activities” and linked them to Swapo’s aborted acrimonious primary elections in the Omaheke Region early this year.But Hamutenya, one of Swapo’s three presidential nominees, vehemently denied the accusations. He branded them a smear campaign against him on the eve of the congress.”I was never ever involved in the Omaheke issue, but [there are] those who want to smear me, drag my name in … and that’s what’s in the letter of my dismissal,” he said.The ex-minister did not name those purportedly smearing him, but used the press conference to tackle rumours and allegations that have circulated widely during the campaigns.WILD CLAIMSHamutenya said allegations of gun running first surfaced a day after he addressed a rally in the Kavango Region early last month.A truck load of weapons allegedly crossed into the Kavango from Angola and he was linked to it. A few days later, according to him, someone at Ondangwa was arrested driving a truck from South Africa full of maize meal, the bags of maize meal were ripped open but no weapons were found.”I asked one of the intelligence officers ‘where are the weapons?’ He said that [it] was ‘bullshit’ actually … there is no truth in the story of the weapons, it’s one of the concoctions fabricated to try and smear my name.”BORDER SHIFTING”The definition of our border with Angola is very clear and I will never be a part of any attempt to change the border of Namibia and Angola, thus a violation of our Constitution. There is no truth in the story whatsoever.”On allegations that he was receiving funding from “imperialists” for his campaigns, Hamutenya said:”We know well that our erstwhile colonialists (South African apartheid regime) spent a lot of money trying to buy the soul of the Namibian people, and they failed, how could I be so foolish to repeat the mistakes of others.”Hamutenya also strongly dismissed allegations tribalism levelled against him and pointed out that his past track record at places he worked and people he had socialised with during his lifetime.He then expressed the hope that Swapo polls to determine the ruling party’s presidential candidate in the November 14-15 national elections would be democratic for the outcome to be legitimate and have moral authority.”If that does not happen, then it does not augur well for the stability and unity of our people. I hope those entrusted with overseeing the [election] process will be aware of the consequences of any irregularity and misbehaviour,” he warned.Hamutenya and his deputy, Kaire Mbuende, were unceremoniously sacked by President Sam Nujoma on Monday evening, following weeks of intense campaigning, characterised by mudslinging and character assassination in some quarters.Hamutenya confirmed that Nujoma had accused them of “clandestine political activities” and linked them to Swapo’s aborted acrimonious primary elections in the Omaheke Region early this year. But Hamutenya, one of Swapo’s three presidential nominees, vehemently denied the accusations. He branded them a smear campaign against him on the eve of the congress.”I was never ever involved in the Omaheke issue, but [there are] those who want to smear me, drag my name in … and that’s what’s in the letter of my dismissal,” he said.The ex-minister did not name those purportedly smearing him, but used the press conference to tackle rumours and allegations that have circulated widely during the campaigns.WILD CLAIMSHamutenya said allegations of gun running first surfaced a day after he addressed a rally in the Kavango Region early last month. A truck load of weapons allegedly crossed into the Kavango from Angola and he was linked to it. A few days later, according to him, someone at Ondangwa was arrested driving a truck from South Africa full of maize meal, the bags of maize meal were ripped open but no weapons were found.”I asked one of the intelligence officers ‘where are the weapons?’ He said that [it] was ‘bullshit’ actually … there is no truth in the story of the weapons, it’s one of the concoctions fabricated to try and smear my name.”BORDER SHIFTING”The definition of our border with Angola is very clear and I will never be a part of any attempt to change the border of Namibia and Angola, thus a violation of our Constitution. There is no truth in the story whatsoever.”On allegations that he was receiving funding from “imperialists” for his campaigns, Hamutenya said:”We know well that our erstwhile colonialists (South African apartheid regime) spent a lot of money trying to buy the soul of the Namibian people, and they failed, how could I be so foolish to repeat the mistakes of others.”Hamutenya also strongly dismissed allegations tribalism levelled against him and pointed out that his past track record at places he worked and people he had socialised with during his lifetime.