Kapia’s time ‘running out’

WORKS Deputy Minister Paulus Kapia is likely to be fired as soon as he returns from leave, The Namibian has established through sources close to the President’s office.

That could be as early as tomorrow or next week Thursday, depending on whether his 25-day leave included weekends. Sources indicated that President Hifikepunye Pohamba had made up his mind to fire Kapia after the name of founding President Sam Nujoma was dragged into the Avid-SSC N$30 million saga last week.”The anger was just too much.Nujoma’s name should have been kept out of the whole Avid issue,” said one source.It is believed that Pohamba is waiting for Kapia to return from leave “as a matter of procedure and protocol”.Windhoek was abuzz at the weekend with rumours that Kapia was called to State House on Friday and given the boot.Yesterday, Kapia denied any visit to State House or knowledge of a possible suspension or axing.”No, no, no.I have not been called to State House and I don’t know anything about any suspension.I was also not fired,” Kapia told The Namibian.When asked whether he was aware of any moves to fire him, Kapia responded: “Check that with State House.”A source said Pohamba wants to ensure that he keeps a “clean” Cabinet and was aware of pressure on him because of his earlier statements on corruption.Several political parties and civil organisations, as well as members of the public on radio talk shows, have called on President Pohamba to at least suspend Kapia after he was named as a director in Avid, a company being probed by a court inquiry into the whereabouts of N$30 million in public funds that the Social Security Commission entrusted to it for investment.Many feel Kapia’s involvement in Avid presents Pohamba with a classic test case to practice what he has been preaching since he took over office from Nujoma.SSC funds seemed to have been obtained dishonestly by using the clout of Swapo and Nujoma.”After all, as others have already said, on corruption and good governance it is deeds not words that will be the measure of the political will and Government’s resolve to tackle these issues,” the Congress of Democrats said earlier.The SSC invested N$30 million through Avid in late January this year for a four-month period.According to the SSC, that was after Kapia had allegedly applied “pressure from higher political authority”.By May 24, the investment period was over and N$31,47 million was supposed to be returned to the SSC.Close to two months later, the money has yet to reappear.The Swapo Youth League has denied that it has any shares in Avid, while Nujoma maintained he had not been aware of the company’s existence until its name started appearing in the media.Sources indicated that President Hifikepunye Pohamba had made up his mind to fire Kapia after the name of founding President Sam Nujoma was dragged into the Avid-SSC N$30 million saga last week.”The anger was just too much.Nujoma’s name should have been kept out of the whole Avid issue,” said one source.It is believed that Pohamba is waiting for Kapia to return from leave “as a matter of procedure and protocol”.Windhoek was abuzz at the weekend with rumours that Kapia was called to State House on Friday and given the boot.Yesterday, Kapia denied any visit to State House or knowledge of a possible suspension or axing.”No, no, no.I have not been called to State House and I don’t know anything about any suspension.I was also not fired,” Kapia told The Namibian.When asked whether he was aware of any moves to fire him, Kapia responded: “Check that with State House.”A source said Pohamba wants to ensure that he keeps a “clean” Cabinet and was aware of pressure on him because of his earlier statements on corruption.Several political parties and civil organisations, as well as members of the public on radio talk shows, have called on President Pohamba to at least suspend Kapia after he was named as a director in Avid, a company being probed by a court inquiry into the whereabouts of N$30 million in public funds that the Social Security Commission entrusted to it for investment.Many feel Kapia’s involvement in Avid presents Pohamba with a classic test case to practice what he has been preaching since he took over office from Nujoma.SSC funds seemed to have been obtained dishonestly by using the clout of Swapo and Nujoma.”After all, as others have already said, on corruption and good governance it is deeds not words that will be the measure of the political will and Government’s resolve to tackle these issues,” the Congress of Democrats said earlier.The SSC invested N$30 million through Avid in late January this year for a four-month period.According to the SSC, that was after Kapia had allegedly applied “pressure from higher political authority”.By May 24, the investment period was over and N$31,47 million was supposed to be returned to the SSC.Close to two months later, the money has yet to reappear.The Swapo Youth League has denied that it has any shares in Avid, while Nujoma maintained he had not been aware of the company’s existence until its name started appearing in the media.