NA rejects tribalism motion

OHANGWENA, Omusati, Oshana and Oshikoto received the lowest allocation of around 27 per cent in the development budget, although 60 per cent of Namibia’s population lives there.

The four regions also have the highest unemployment rate in the country, according to a survey conducted by the Ministry of Labour. These statistics were provided in the National Assembly last week by the Minister of Health, Richard Kamwi, who rejected a claim by the DTA that ethnicity and tribalism in Government and parastatals had reached alarming proportions.When he tabled a motion to debate tribalism and ethnicity, DTA MP McHenry Venaani claimed that the top brass of the army, navy and air force were 100 per cent dominated by one tribe; 11 of 13 regional commanders in the Police force represented one ethnic group; 86 per cent of the Police members came from one ethnic group; 16 of the 22 heads of Namibian missions in other countries were from one ethnic group; and 89 per cent of permanent secretaries also represented one group.In addition, Venaani said, said some 84 per cent of higher education bursaries allocated since 1992 had gone to one ethnic group while some Government departments were dominated by certain groups.Further, 95 per cent of those running State-owned enterprises came from one ethnic group.Kamwi said Venaani’s motion was selective and biased.He said Venaani deliberately excluded the hundreds of unemployed youths sitting on street corners waiting for part-time jobs, or the fact that the same group he referred to dominated the People’s Liberation Army of Namibia (Plan) that fought against racist South Africa.He said most of the top brass in the army before Independence were South African nationals who went back when the war was over.”What was left behind were mostly non-commissioned privates who were used as canon-fodder,” he said.Kamwi maintained it was a myth that all development was taken to the North, and Government had no say over the financial decisions of private companies who decided to explore the huge markets there.He challenged Venaani to produce evidence of competent army officers or civil servants from other population groups who had been denied promotion on the basis of ethnicity.Kamwi was supported by Fisheries Minister Abraham Iyambo, who said Venaani’s motion promoted tribalism and ethnicity.He said the motion was a trick by a party whose support was dwindling to woo voters “by hook and by crook”.”Imagine a loose mamba entering this chamber – it’s dangerous.Imagine a savage wild dog with rabies going mad in this house – it dangerous.Imagine a scorpion loose in this chamber – it’s dangerous,” Iyambo warned.He said that was how he saw political parties that promoted tribalism and ethnicity.These statistics were provided in the National Assembly last week by the Minister of Health, Richard Kamwi, who rejected a claim by the DTA that ethnicity and tribalism in Government and parastatals had reached alarming proportions.When he tabled a motion to debate tribalism and ethnicity, DTA MP McHenry Venaani claimed that the top brass of the army, navy and air force were 100 per cent dominated by one tribe; 11 of 13 regional commanders in the Police force represented one ethnic group; 86 per cent of the Police members came from one ethnic group; 16 of the 22 heads of Namibian missions in other countries were from one ethnic group; and 89 per cent of permanent secretaries also represented one group.In addition, Venaani said, said some 84 per cent of higher education bursaries allocated since 1992 had gone to one ethnic group while some Government departments were dominated by certain groups.Further, 95 per cent of those running State-owned enterprises came from one ethnic group.Kamwi said Venaani’s motion was selective and biased.He said Venaani deliberately excluded the hundreds of unemployed youths sitting on street corners waiting for part-time jobs, or the fact that the same group he referred to dominated the People’s Liberation Army of Namibia (Plan) that fought against racist South Africa.He said most of the top brass in the army before Independence were South African nationals who went back when the war was over.”What was left behind were mostly non-commissioned privates who were used as canon-fodder,” he said.Kamwi maintained it was a myth that all development was taken to the North, and Government had no say over the financial decisions of private companies who decided to explore the huge markets there.He challenged Venaani to produce evidence of competent army officers or civil servants from other population groups who had been denied promotion on the basis of ethnicity.Kamwi was supported by Fisheries Minister Abraham Iyambo, who said Venaani’s motion promoted tribalism and ethnicity.He said the motion was a trick by a party whose support was dwindling to woo voters “by hook and by crook”.”Imagine a loose mamba entering this chamber – it’s dangerous.Imagine a savage wild dog with rabies going mad in this house – it dangerous.Imagine a scorpion loose in this chamber – it’s dangerous,” Iyambo warned.He said that was how he saw political parties that promoted tribalism and ethnicity.