Kapia topples

SWAPO Youth League Secretary Paulus Kapia is to be stripped of his seat in the National Assembly and faces possible expulsion from the ruling party.

In a second bitter blow in less than a week, Kapia, who recently quit as Deputy Minister of Works, Transport and Telecommunications, was yesterday suspended by the ruling party – pending an investigation into his involvement in the Avid-SSC N$30 million scandal. Last weekend he was ‘put on leave’ from his duties as Swapo Party Youth League Secretary.He quit as Deputy Minister of Works, Transport and Communication a week earlier.’RELIEVED OF HIS DUTIES’ A grim-faced Party Secretary General Ngarikutuke Tjiriange told a press briefing in the capital yesterday afternoon that “Kapia has been relieved of his duties in the Swapo Party”.He also said that Kapia would not take his seat as a Member of Parliament when the National Assembly resumes later this month.”The Swapo Party is making appropriate arrangements for Mr Kapia to vacate his seat in the National Assembly,” Tjiriange said.Kapia, a former director of Avid, is alleged to have used his political influence to ensure that the SSC would invest N$30 million with the investment company.In addition, N$40 000 in cash is alleged to have been sent his way by the wife of Avid Investment CEO Lazarus Kandara.Kapia told The Namibian yesterday that he agreed with the party’s suspension.Tjiriange’s statements yesterday appeared to indicate that the suspension could be a step towards expelling Kapia from Swapo.In saying that Swapo would do what was needed “to get him [Kapia] out of there” [the National Assembly], he noted that the Namibian Constitution was clear on the grounds on which a National Assembly member must vacate their seat.Tjiriange said that the suspension of an MP from his or her party “cannot, be one of the grounds”.An MP either had to tender their resignation from the National Assembly, or no longer be a member of the party they represented.Earlier the Swapo official had noted that in terms of the Swapo Party constitution, the Politburo could, by two-thirds majority of its members have the authority to expel any member of the Party.However Tjiriange noted that “the law expects the Political Bureau to exercise fairly and reasonably its power to expel an individual from the Party”.This, he said, entailed allowing the individual – in this case Kapia – to state his side of the case.For this reason, the Swapo Party would carry out an investigation during which Kapia would be given a chance to answer to the allegations against him.”The law should be seen to be fair,” Tjiriange said.”But if a member has been accused of serious misconduct, even if not yet proven, this has the potential to damage the name of the Party.”Kapia, SPYL Secretary since 1997 and Deputy Minister since March this 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 his heady days as former President Sam Nujoma’s protege, which saw him rise rapidly through the ranks of Swapo.Yesterday, Kapia said he was hardly surprised by the ruling party’s decision.Speaking to The Namibian at the end of the Avid-SSC inquiry, which set the ball rolling for Swapo’s recent actions against Kapia, the former Deputy Minister said he agreed with the party’s decision.Kapia said he had been in regular consultation with the party’s leadership and with Tjiriange only hours before yesterday’s announcement.”I prepared myself psychologically.I was preparing to step down from the [leadership of the] SPYL and from Parliament, since I resigned as Deputy Minister,” said Kapia.Kapia said from testimony given during the inquiry it was in his opinion clear that he and other directors had been unaware of the transactions that took place between Avid CEO Lazarus Kandara and Namangol Investments CEO Nico Josea.”I want to tell the nation one thing: I’m still a person fighting against social evils.I don’t want to associate myself with wrongdoing.When I served on the board [of Avid] my intentions were clear from day one to the end,” he said.According to the Swapo Party list, which the Secretary General indicated would be followed, Kapia should be replaced in Parliament by former Foreign Minister Hidipo Hamutenya.Hamutenya was summarily dismissed as Foreign Minister last year by former President Sam Nujoma, four days before a crucial Swapo congress was scheduled to choose the party’s presidential candidate for the 2004 Presidential elections.Should he decline, the next in line would be former Deputy Minister of Finance Clara Bohitile.* Additional reporting by Lindsay DentlingerLast weekend he was ‘put on leave’ from his duties as Swapo Party Youth League Secretary.He quit as Deputy Minister of Works, Transport and Communication a week earlier.’RELIEVED OF HIS DUTIES’ A grim-faced Party Secretary General Ngarikutuke Tjiriange told a press briefing in the capital yesterday afternoon that “Kapia has been relieved of his duties in the Swapo Party”.He also said that Kapia would not take his seat as a Member of Parliament when the National Assembly resumes later this month.”The Swapo Party is making appropriate arrangements for Mr Kapia to vacate his seat in the National Assembly,” Tjiriange said.Kapia, a former director of Avid, is alleged to have used his political influence to ensure that the SSC would invest N$30 million with the investment company.In addition, N$40 000 in cash is alleged to have been sent his way by the wife of Avid Investment CEO Lazarus Kandara. Kapia told The Namibian yesterday that he agreed with the party’s suspension. Tjiriange’s statements yesterday appeared to indicate that the suspension could be a step towards expelling Kapia from Swapo.In saying that Swapo would do what was needed “to get him [Kapia] out of there” [the National Assembly], he noted that the Namibian Constitution was clear on the grounds on which a National Assembly member must vacate their seat.Tjiriange said that the suspension of an MP from his or her party “cannot, be one of the grounds”.An MP either had to tender their resignation from the National Assembly, or no longer be a member of the party they represented.Earlier the Swapo official had noted that in terms of the Swapo Party constitution, the Politburo could, by two-thirds majority of its members have the authority to expel any member of the Party.However Tjiriange noted that “the law expects the Political Bureau to exercise fairly and reasonably its power to expel an individual from the Party”.This, he said, entailed allowing the individual – in this case Kapia – to state his side of the case.For this reason, the Swapo Party would carry out an investigation during which Kapia would be given a chance to answer to the allegations against him.”The law should be seen to be fair,” Tjiriange said.”But if a member has been accused of serious misconduct, even if not yet proven, this has the potential to damage the name of the Party.” Kapia, SPYL Secretary since 1997 and Deputy Minister since March this 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 his heady days as former President Sam Nujoma’s protege, which saw him rise rapidly through the ranks of Swapo.Yesterday, Kapia said he was hardly surprised by the ruling party’s decision.Speaking to The Namibian at the end of the Avid-SSC inquiry, which set the ball rolling for Swapo’s recent actions against Kapia, the former Deputy Minister said he agreed with the party’s decision.Kapia said he had been in regular consultation with the party’s leadership and with Tjiriange only hours before yesterday’s announcement.”I prepared myself psychologically.I was preparing to step down from the [leadership of the] SPYL and from Parliament, since I resigned as Deputy Minister,” said Kapia.Kapia said from testimony given during the inquiry it was in his opinion clear that he and other directors had been unaware of the transactions that took place between Avid CEO Lazarus Kandara and Namangol Investments CEO Nico Josea.”I want to tell the nation
one thing: I’m still a person fighting against social evils.I don’t want to associate myself with wrongdoing.When I served on the board [of Avid] my intentions were clear from day one to the end,” he said.According to the Swapo Party list, which the Secretary General indicated would be followed, Kapia should be replaced in Parliament by former Foreign Minister Hidipo Hamutenya.Hamutenya was summarily dismissed as Foreign Minister last year by former President Sam Nujoma, four days before a crucial Swapo congress was scheduled to choose the party’s presidential candidate for the 2004 Presidential elections.Should he decline, the next in line would be former Deputy Minister of Finance Clara Bohitile. * Additional reporting by Lindsay Dentlinger