Kapia probe still in starting blocks

A SPECIAL committee established by Swapo’s Politburo more than two weeks ago to investigate whether suspended Youth League leader Paulus Kapia used the name of party President Sam Nujoma or the party itself in the Avid-SSC N$30 million scandal has yet to start its work.

The committee is headed by the Director General of the National Planning Commission, Helmut Angula, with other members being Minister of Presidential Affairs Dr Albert Kawana and lawyer Hartmut Ruppel. Party insiders say the committee has yet to meet and discuss how to go about the investigation.The Politburo set up the subcommittee after a section of the Youth League requested that Kapia’s suspension be lifted and that he be reinstated in his position.Two different groups investigated Kapia’s involvement in the Avid scandal and while one found him guilty, the other exonerated him.Sources said that was the main reason why the Politburo opted for an ‘independent’ investigation with people who have no interest in Kapia’s fate.Kapia quit as Deputy Minister of Works, Transport and Telecommunications in September last year after he went on a month’s leave when the Avid inquiry started.He remained in his position as youth leader for some time, however, until Swapo Secretary General Ngarikutuke Tjiriange announced that he had been “relieved of his duties” and also lost his status as a Member of Parliament.Kapia was a former director of the Avid investment company and was alleged to have used his political influence to ensure that the Social Security Commission invested N$30 million with Avid.In addition, N$40 000 in cash was alleged to have been sent his way by the wife of the Avid Investment CEO, the late Lazarus Kandara.Kapia, SPYL Secretary since 1997 and Deputy Minister since March last year, has seen his political career go into free fall since he became embroiled in the Avid-SSC scandal.It is a far cry from the days when he was Swapo President Nujoma’s protégé, which saw him rise rapidly through the party ranks.He recently returned to work at the party’s head office but his duties are not known.Kapia was replaced in Parliament by former Foreign Minister Hidipo Hamutenya.Party insiders say the committee has yet to meet and discuss how to go about the investigation.The Politburo set up the subcommittee after a section of the Youth League requested that Kapia’s suspension be lifted and that he be reinstated in his position.Two different groups investigated Kapia’s involvement in the Avid scandal and while one found him guilty, the other exonerated him.Sources said that was the main reason why the Politburo opted for an ‘independent’ investigation with people who have no interest in Kapia’s fate.Kapia quit as Deputy Minister of Works, Transport and Telecommunications in September last year after he went on a month’s leave when the Avid inquiry started.He remained in his position as youth leader for some time, however, until Swapo Secretary General Ngarikutuke Tjiriange announced that he had been “relieved of his duties” and also lost his status as a Member of Parliament.Kapia was a former director of the Avid investment company and was alleged to have used his political influence to ensure that the Social Security Commission invested N$30 million with Avid.In addition, N$40 000 in cash was alleged to have been sent his way by the wife of the Avid Investment CEO, the late Lazarus Kandara.Kapia, SPYL Secretary since 1997 and Deputy Minister since March last year, has seen his political career go into free fall since he became embroiled in the Avid-SSC scandal.It is a far cry from the days when he was Swapo President Nujoma’s protégé, which saw him rise rapidly through the party ranks.He recently returned to work at the party’s head office but his duties are not known.Kapia was replaced in Parliament by former Foreign Minister Hidipo Hamutenya.