Mulunga gets Namcor top job

LONG-SERVING petroleum commissioner Immanuel Mulunga has been appointed managing director of the National Petroleum Corporation of Namibia (Namcor).

Information minister Tjekero Tweya announced yesterday that Cabinet approved Mulunga’s appointment on Tuesday.

The former petroleum commissioner has been appointed on a five year term which commenced this month and will run until June 2020.

Namcor is a state-owned enterprise that was set up to secure fuel for Namibia. Apart from being required to undertake exploration for fuel in the country, Namcor was mandated to import 50 percent of Namibia’s fuel needs but that role has been revoked for now.

Cabinet minutes said Mulunga got the top energy job “based on good performance and scoring during the selection process”.

The Cabinet submission was made by energy minister Obeth Kandjoze. Mulunga replaces Kandjoze who left Namcor for a political career that has made him one of the kingmakers in state energy decisions.

Cabinet warned that Namcor should pay Mulunga within the salary caps set by the government.

“Cabinet directed that the remunerative package of the managing director be determined within the guidelines of the remunerative framework for state-owned public enterprises in Namibia,” the Cabinet document said.

Kandjoze confirmed in 2013 that he earned N$1,5 million per year, an amount which contravenes remuneration guidelines of the SoE Governance Council which dictate that a chief executive at Namcor should only earn between N$450 000 and N$980 000 annually.

Kandjoze himself questioned the format of rewarding chief executives of state owned entities saying the salary regulations are only targeting top parastatal executives while turning a blind eye on juniors who are also being overpaid.

Mulunga declined to comment on his appointment yesterday saying he has not yet been informed about the appointment by Namcor.

Mulunga is praised for transforming the oil licensing industry which boomed since he took over in 2003 as the petroleum commissioner. The search for oil attracted international players to Namibia. That search was however criticised for having enriched a cartel of well-connected individuals.

According to his LinkedIn account, Mulunga graduated from the University of Namibian and later Stellenbosch in South Africa.

He worked as a key account manager for the British Petroleum from 2002 to 2003 when he took over as petroleum commissioner, a job responsible of administering the Exploration Act, issue licenses, investment promotion and negotiate petroleum agreements.

Namcor has a history of squandering millions of government funds due to several dodgy deals it entered in the past.

The appointment of Mulunga adds to the puzzle of the appointment of top government officials directly linked to exploration businessman Knowledge Katti, an associate of President Hage Geingob.

Part of the puzzle is that people who have had ties with Katti got two top positions in the government including Kandjoze. The minister has repeatedly tried to shoot down his friendship to Katti after The Namibian linked them in previous reports.

With regards to the new boss at Namcor, Insight magazine reported in 2011 that Mulunga received N$2 million from Katti on a number occasions in 2009 and 2010. Mulunga denied doing business directly with Katti. He told Insight that Katti paid the money to him on behalf of a third party.

Mulunga will be in charge of Namcor which is mainly linked to exploration deals with foreign companies. This includes the N$23 billion Kudu project which is yet to be awarded by Namcor. Katti and his partners are among the shortlisted firms for that state energy contract.

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