Nabta infighting continues unabated

THE war of words continues between the President of the Namibia Bus and Taxi Association (Nabta) and a group of five former leaders of the association who were stripped of their positions last year.

On Saturday, Nabta President Magnus Nangombe, with the help of the Police, prevented the five from attending a Nabta meeting to which they were invited. On Sunday, one of the suspended officials, Pendapala Nakathingo, told The Namibian that by barring them from the meeting, Nangombe was violating the association’s constitution.According to Nakathingo, Nabta’s constitution does not give Nangombe the power to suspend or dismiss them.He claimed that the Labour Court at Oshakati, which they had filed complaints with, had ruled that Nangombe had acted illegally and they should be reinstated.He said when they arrived at the meeting venue on Saturday, Nangombe protested that they should leave as they are on suspension and are not allowed to take part in Nabta activities.Nakathingo said when they argued they were suspended unprocedurally, Nangombe allegedly said he did not agree with the court ruling and he was going to instruct Nabta’s lawyers to oppose it.He then called the Police to prevent the four from attending the meeting.”When the Police arrived, they asked us why we want to attend the meeting and why we were not allowed to,” Nakathingo said.He said they told the Police that they were invited to the meeting and had been suspended illegally.Nakathingo claimed that after the Police heard their side, they agreed that there was no reason why they should not be allowed to attend the meeting.However, he said, Nangombe insisted that they should not.When the five insisted on staying, Nangombe allegedly cancelled the meeting.Before they came to the meeting, the five went to see the Inspector General of Police, Sebastian Ndeitunga, to explain the problem they have with Nangombe and to ask him to give them security at the Saturday meeting.Nakathingo said the Police Chief agreed with their claims.”There were some Police officers who were already sent there just to monitor the situation, when Nangombe decided to call the Police,” he said.On Sunday, Nangombe told The Namibian that the five were barred from the meeting as they were not allowed to take part in Nabta activities and they had now violated their suspension letters.He said if it was true that they got support from Ndeitunga to attend the meeting, that was wrong, as “these people are still on suspension.”On Thursday morning, Nangombe called in the City Police to remove Nakathingo, Vespa Muunda, Elvis Kauesa and Immanuel Ankambo from the Nabta offices in Windhoek, where they wanted to have an urgent meeting on the leadership crisis in Nabta.Nakathingo, who was the Nabta chairman for Oshana Region, was dismissed by Nangombe with effect from October 9 last year, while Willie Gariseb, who was Nabta’s regional chairperson in Erongo, was dismissed earlier this year.Gariseb was absent on Thursday but turned up at the cancelled meeting on Saturday.Also on October 9 2006, Nangombe announced the suspension of three Nabta Executive members: National Secretary Muunda, Deputy National Treasurer Ankambo and National Deputy Secretary Kauesa.Nangombe claimed the five did not meet the requirements to be Nabta members and they attended the 2005 Nabta Congress held at Otjiwarongo through fraudulent means.On Sunday, one of the suspended officials, Pendapala Nakathingo, told The Namibian that by barring them from the meeting, Nangombe was violating the association’s constitution.According to Nakathingo, Nabta’s constitution does not give Nangombe the power to suspend or dismiss them.He claimed that the Labour Court at Oshakati, which they had filed complaints with, had ruled that Nangombe had acted illegally and they should be reinstated.He said when they arrived at the meeting venue on Saturday, Nangombe protested that they should leave as they are on suspension and are not allowed to take part in Nabta activities.Nakathingo said when they argued they were suspended unprocedurally, Nangombe allegedly said he did not agree with the court ruling and he was going to instruct Nabta’s lawyers to oppose it.He then called the Police to prevent the four from attending the meeting.”When the Police arrived, they asked us why we want to attend the meeting and why we were not allowed to,” Nakathingo said.He said they told the Police that they were invited to the meeting and had been suspended illegally.Nakathingo claimed that after the Police heard their side, they agreed that there was no reason why they should not be allowed to attend the meeting.However, he said, Nangombe insisted that they should not.When the five insisted on staying, Nangombe allegedly cancelled the meeting.Before they came to the meeting, the five went to see the Inspector General of Police, Sebastian Ndeitunga, to explain the problem they have with Nangombe and to ask him to give them security at the Saturday meeting.Nakathingo said the Police Chief agreed with their claims.”There were some Police officers who were already sent there just to monitor the situation, when Nangombe decided to call the Police,” he said.On Sunday, Nangombe told The Namibian that the five were barred from the meeting as they were not allowed to take part in Nabta activities and they had now violated their suspension letters.He said if it was true that they got support from Ndeitunga to attend the meeting, that was wrong, as “these people are still on suspension.”On Thursday morning, Nangombe called in the City Police to remove Nakathingo, Vespa Muunda, Elvis Kauesa and Immanuel Ankambo from the Nabta offices in Windhoek, where they wanted to have an urgent meeting on the leadership crisis in Nabta.Nakathingo, who was the Nabta chairman for Oshana Region, was dismissed by Nangombe with effect from October 9 last year, while Willie Gariseb, who was Nabta’s regional chairperson in Erongo, was dismissed earlier this year.Gariseb was absent on Thursday but turned up at the cancelled meeting on Saturday.Also on October 9 2006, Nangombe announced the suspension of three Nabta Executive members: National Secretary Muunda, Deputy National Treasurer Ankambo and National Deputy Secretary Kauesa.Nangombe claimed the five did not meet the requirements to be Nabta members and they attended the 2005 Nabta Congress held at Otjiwarongo through fraudulent means.