Kunene governor Vipuakuje Muharukua says the decision by the Opuwo Town Council to sell a state-owned stadium was selfish.
The ministry of education, innovation youth, sport, arts and culture announced plans to construct a new stadium in the Kunene region last week at the Nedbank Namibian Newspaper Cup.
Muharukua yesterday told The Namibian that Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) councillors and the Opuwo Town Council let down the youth by selling Opuwo’s only stadium in 2013. He said both PDM and the government prioritised money over its young people when they sold the land to property mogul Erastus ‘Chicco’ Shapumba, who later sold it to local businessman Gerrit Schoeman for about N$5 million without allegedly making any improvements.
“PDM has disappointed many young people and sport lovers, not just me. Sport has regressed because the Opuwo Town Council and PDM councillors chose money over our young people.
“PDM must do the right thing and donate the land to the ministry and not sell it to the ministry,” he said.
‘SELFISH DECISION’
According to Muharukua, PDM’s ‘selfish’ decision has left a negative impact in the region.
“[Dino] Ballotti is now trying to reverse the negative impact of that decision,” he said.
Executive director of education Mbumba Haitengela yesterday said the town council has generously donated a piece of land in the region to construct a new stadium.
He denied allegations that they wanted to approach Shapumba to buy back the land.
“The ministry has never sold any land at Opuwo to Shapumba. The sale of the original stadium land was a decision made by the Opuwo Town Council, and the ministry. Therefore, any suggestion of an error on the ministry’s part is unfounded.
“The town council has since fulfilled this commitment by donating a new, fenced-off erf to the ministry. This newly allocated plot is separate from the one previously sold and will be the site for the new planned stadium.
“We are currently finalising the design work for the project. The Opuwo Town Council can confirm that the two plots are entirely different and that the ministry has not been involved in the sale of land to Shapumba,” he said.
PDM national spokesperson Geoffrey Mwilima says the land was sold under Swapo’s government.
He says PDM was not in place at the time of the sale, as alleged by Muharukua.
“It was sold under the Swapo government in 2013 not PDM. It is puzzling why he [Muharikua] is blaming PDM because he is no more PDM.
“There is already a stadium approved and is spearheaded by the PDM mayor. We are quite happy about the social achievement especially on the purpose of reducing crime.”
CHEAP POLITICS
Opuwo mayor Rosa Mbinge-Tjeundo says Muharukua is trying to play cheap politics.
“He is coming from America and he does not know what he is saying nor does he care about the region. His time to play cheap politics is over, the land was sold in 2013 already.
“We are here for the region’s development and the community, not to play cheap games. The ministry is now able to construct a new stadium all because of PDM,” she said.
YOUTH ACTIVIST
Landless People’s Movement Youth Command leader Duminga Ndala says young people should be empowered.
“It is very disheartening that at first the government sold land to a private person that was earmarked for the stadium and for the development of young people.
“The empowerment of young people should not be lip service but it should take place in a way that young people are really empowered and whatever is earmarked for young people should take place and be provided as such,” she says.
Ndala says repurchasing another stadium will be a waste of resources.
“That will be a major waste of resources and the major question is who knows if the same act will not be done, because what has changed since 2013 to now,” she says.
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