Naholo prepares defence against union

THE lawyer for Peter Naholo, the expelled acting Secretary General of the National Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW), will file an answering affidavit to union claims by the end of the week.

Uanisa Hengari told The Namibian that arguments in the case were set for February 20. The NUNW obtained an urgent court order against Naholo restraining him from entering their premises after divisions in the union erupted into the open.The High Court ordered Naholo to stay away from the NUNW premises; not to interfere with its activities or office bearers; and not to act on behalf of the union.Naholo was removed as acting Secretary General by some members of the umbrella union while he was on leave in December.The case has its roots in a statement by leaders of some NUNW affiliates, which backed Swapo President Sam Nujoma’s account of the events of April 1 1989.Naholo took issue with them.He said the NUNW had never decided to issue such a statement, as claimed by those who released it behind his and NUNW President Risto Kapenda’s back.Claiming that it was a collective decision of all NUNW affiliates, the statement backed Nujoma’s denials that he was to blame for the deaths of hundreds of Swapo fighters as the then commander-in-chief of the ruling party’s military wing.However, Naholo said a letter was issued by the secretariat calling for wider consultations “as well as prudent consideration of the matter around which the media statement revolved”.NUNW First Vice President Alpheus Muheua and others then called a meeting and expelled Naholo.The NUNW obtained an urgent court order against Naholo restraining him from entering their premises after divisions in the union erupted into the open.The High Court ordered Naholo to stay away from the NUNW premises; not to interfere with its activities or office bearers; and not to act on behalf of the union.Naholo was removed as acting Secretary General by some members of the umbrella union while he was on leave in December.The case has its roots in a statement by leaders of some NUNW affiliates, which backed Swapo President Sam Nujoma’s account of the events of April 1 1989.Naholo took issue with them.He said the NUNW had never decided to issue such a statement, as claimed by those who released it behind his and NUNW President Risto Kapenda’s back.Claiming that it was a collective decision of all NUNW affiliates, the statement backed Nujoma’s denials that he was to blame for the deaths of hundreds of Swapo fighters as the then commander-in-chief of the ruling party’s military wing.However, Naholo said a letter was issued by the secretariat calling for wider consultations “as well as prudent consideration of the matter around which the media statement revolved”.NUNW First Vice President Alpheus Muheua and others then called a meeting and expelled Naholo.