THE rift in the leadership of the National Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW) is likely to widen with a newly instituted investigation into its secretary general, Evilastus Kaaronda.
The president of the NUNW, Elia Manga, yesterday announced that an investigation committee to be headed by an independent investigator will be instituted to conduct various allegations against Kaaronda. Kaaronda has been out of the country this week, but Manga maintained that he is well aware of the charges against him. A special central executive committee meeting was held on April 9 to specifically discuss the alleged misconduct of Kaaronda. This meeting was attended by NUNW office bearers, regional chairpersons, the president and secretary generals and general secretaries of NUNW-affiliated unions. One of the allegations is that Kaaronda has made public statements without consulting with the leadership and affiliates of the umbrella union. Another is alleged discrediting of NUNW-affiliated unions such as Namibia Teachers Union (Nantu) and the Namibia Public Workers’ Union (Napwu) at occasions also attended by the rival Public Service Union of Namibia (PSUN) and the Trade Union Congress of Namibia (Tucna). Kaaronda allegedly also advised workers to stop paying their membership fees to Tucna.Manga could not say when the investigation would start, but it would have to be completed by the middle of May, before the next special Central Committee meeting of the NUNW where its findings will be discussed. ‘We do not want to drag out the investigation,’ he said. He was adamant that this does not mean Kaaronda is suspended.Manga said the working relationship among some NUNW leaders since last year’s congress has been to the detriment of the advancement of the workers’ cause. The investigator will be appointed by Manga and the first vice-president of the NUNW, Connie Pandeni. This person will be identified from nominations submitted by affiliate union leaders. The terms of reference of the investigation will be drawn up in consultation with the national office bearers and the affiliate union presidents. Kaaronda fell out of favour with the NUNW leadership and its affiliates and became increasingly isolated as a result of his stance on the Government Institutions Pension Fund (GIPF) saga. Manga yesterday denied reports that the union would take Cabinet to court on the GIPF issue. He did, however, express dissatisfaction over the ‘slow pace’ of the second audit of the more than N$660 million defaulted GIPF loans. The union said it has not yet received any official communique from the Office of the Prime Minister about the progress, except for a ‘shortened feedback’ workers were presented with in February. He said workers are key stakeholders and expect to be officially kept abreast of developments around the GIPF debacle. Manga said the loss incurred through the GIPF saga is ‘genuine and must be paid back’, but reiterated that workers should give due recognition to existing structures and fight through such structures. ‘If we think that our respective trade union leadership is failing in living up to our expectations, let us use the same tools we once used to elect them to replace them with leaders who have the interest of the workers at heart,’ Manga said.
