Swapo deputy SG responds to allegations he asked Russia for N$3 million
Swapo deputy secretary general Uahekua Herunga says he will not pursue legal action following allegations that he solicited millions of dollars from Russian intelligence operatives to support Swapo’s 2024 election campaign.
Herunga yesterday dismissed the claims, saying he does not intend to waste time responding through the courts.
“I treat allegations as allegations,” he said.
“I have serious business to do. I cannot be busy with allegations that do not hold water.
I don’t have that time at all.”
The allegations have been published by non-profit organisation Forbidden Stories and are based on 76 leaked internal documents linked to an entity referred to as ‘The Company’, which is reportedly associated with Russian intelligence structures.
According to the report, Russian operatives recorded a request for financial assistance with Swapo’s election campaign Herunga allegedly made on 27 October 2024.
The reported amounts include US$118 000 (about N$1.9 million) to pay 10 000 party activists on election day, US$17 700 (N$295 000) for T-shirts, and US$23 600 (N$394 400) for transporting voters and activists.
The report does not confirm whether any funding had been approved.
Speaking to The Namibian last week, Herunga denied the allegations, saying he has never requested funds from any external source.
“There is absolutely nothing like that as far as I know. I haven’t asked anyone to provide money to the party either,” he said.
The report further alleges that Russian operatives were involved in disinformation campaigns, including fabricating a letter claiming that the United Kingdom was funding the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) in exchange for Namibia’s oil.
It also claims that president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah had contact with Russian officials about support for Swapo’s election campaign, allegedly asking for assistance to be provided ‘cleanly’.
The Presidency did not respond to questions sent to it last week.
The leaked documents are said to originate from operatives linked to the Wagner Group, previously led by Yevgeny Prigozhin.
The report alleges that the group has conducted ‘influence operations’, including election interference, in several countries across Africa and Latin America.
In parliament, IPC member Rodney Cloete last week submitted questions to minister of international relations and trade Selma Ashipala-Musavyi regarding the alleged Russian involvement.
However, National Assembly speaker Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila rejected the move, saying Cloete was raising unverified claims.
“You must provide evidence to us first so that we allow you. We cannot allow people to stand up here and say all kinds of things that are not permitted under the rules,” she said.
Cloete said his questions were based on information available online, but Kuugongelwa-Amadhila insisted that the matter first be assessed for compliance with parliamentary rules before it could be entertained.
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