Naholo suspended again

THE gloves have come off in the protracted power struggle within the National Union of Namibian Workers, as the umbrella body yesterday moved to once again suspend its Acting Secretary General Peter Naholo.

Barely three days after the High Court ordered Naholo’s reinstatement, the NUNW announced yesterday afternoon that it was once again sidelining Naholo. Announcing the decision at a media conference, NUNW First Vice President Alpheus Muheua declined to provide the reasons for Naholo’s suspension, saying only that it was an internal matter that needed to be investigated.Naholo was served his reinstatement and suspension letters simultaneously yesterday morning.Contacted by The Namibian, Naholo said had refused to sign his suspension letter.He said he had already approached his lawyer to advise him on the latest developments.”I defy it strongly,” Naholo said, “it’s pure intimidation.They are trying to buy time and limit my chances of being elected at Congress.”The NUNW is expected to have a gathering of its highest decision-making body, the Congress, at the end of this month.Naholo revealed to The Namibian that his latest suspension was linked to him allegedly making “derogatory remarks” against fellow union leaders in statements to the media last year and in his public announcements regarding his suspension.”It’s time the workers take over.I’m handing the crisis over to the members to decide the future of the union.This fight is not because I betrayed the workers.It is not a workers’ issue, it’s a politically motivated issue.Workers must come in and air their views,” Naholo told The Namibian.The NUNW also announced that it planned to appeal Friday’s High Court ruling that Muheua must pay the costs of the legal action Naholo brought against the union, on the basis that its constitution made provision for footing the costs arising from such an incident if the official had rightly acted within his capacity.Friday’s special NUNW Central Executive Committee meeting ended with a vote of no confidence in its President Risto Kapenda, because he was accused of siding with Naholo during discussions to suspend him again.”Instead of defending the NUNW, he was defending Naholo,” Muheua charged yesterday.”A heated debate ensued.Kapenda has a vested interest in the case and so the second Vice President took over [chairing the meeting].”No details were provided at the media briefing on who was present at Friday’s meeting.The NUNW said yesterday that it fully embraced Friday’s court ruling and would accordingly pay Naholo all payments due to him since December 14 2005, when he was first suspended.This time around however, Naholo is being suspended with full pay pending investigations and a hearing.Naholo’s lawyer Unanisa Hengari said yesterday that his preliminary view was that Naholo’s suspension was again invalid.He said he would challenge the NUNW on this issue because this latest move had circumvented Friday’s court ruling.Evilastus Kaaronda has been appointed in Naholo’s position during his suspension.Kaaronda said yesterday that an investigation might find it unnecessary to hold a hearing against Naholo and drop the charges against him.The NUNW did not want to be held to a timeframe within which the investigation is to be conducted.The CEC further resolved that Muheua would be the official spokesperson on the matter against Naholo.”This resolution is taken in view of the heavy conflict of interest the NUNW President has in this matter,” Muheua announced to the media.’POLITICAL PRESSURE’ A representative of a group calling itself the Defence of Naholo Committee yesterday alleged that senior political leaders were involved in fuelling the witch-hunt against Naholo and said it was appalled that they had disrespected the law.”We want the rule of law to premise our national conduct.We are appalled by this action,” said the committee.The bitter row between the factions was sparked last year over the way in which the union leadership handled Swapo’s official version of April 1 1989, when hundreds of People’s Liberation Army of Namibia (Plan) fighters were killed.Naholo said at the time that NUNW affiliates had acted without consultation with the umbrella body when it publicly supported Swapo President Sam Nujoma’s denials that he was to blame for the deaths of the soldiers.Muheua and others then moved to oust him.Naholo took the NUNW to court to question the legitimacy and authority of those who decided to suspend him.On Friday, the High Court found in Naholo’s favour, ruling that the meeting that dismissed him had not been constituted properly.Muheua was ordered to pay the legal costs because he was deemed by the court to have acted without the knowledge of Kapenda.Said Muheua yesterday: “I want to categorically state that this issue is not between Naholo and Muheua.The NUNW is a shell and that shell is filled with affiliates.”Announcing the decision at a media conference, NUNW First Vice President Alpheus Muheua declined to provide the reasons for Naholo’s suspension, saying only that it was an internal matter that needed to be investigated.Naholo was served his reinstatement and suspension letters simultaneously yesterday morning.Contacted by The Namibian, Naholo said had refused to sign his suspension letter.He said he had already approached his lawyer to advise him on the latest developments.”I defy it strongly,” Naholo said, “it’s pure intimidation.They are trying to buy time and limit my chances of being elected at Congress.”The NUNW is expected to have a gathering of its highest decision-making body, the Congress, at the end of this month.Naholo revealed to The Namibian that his latest suspension was linked to him allegedly making “derogatory remarks” against fellow union leaders in statements to the media last year and in his public announcements regarding his suspension. “It’s time the workers take over.I’m handing the crisis over to the members to decide the future of the union.This fight is not because I betrayed the workers.It is not a workers’ issue, it’s a politically motivated issue.Workers must come in and air their views,” Naholo told The Namibian.The NUNW also announced that it planned to appeal Friday’s High Court ruling that Muheua must pay the costs of the legal action Naholo brought against the union, on the basis that its constitution made provision for footing the costs arising from such an incident if the official had rightly acted within his capacity.Friday’s special NUNW Central Executive Committee meeting ended with a vote of no confidence in its President Risto Kapenda, because he was accused of siding with Naholo during discussions to suspend him again.”Instead of defending the NUNW, he was defending Naholo,” Muheua charged yesterday.”A heated debate ensued.Kapenda has a vested interest in the case and so the second Vice President took over [chairing the meeting].”No details were provided at the media briefing on who was present at Friday’s meeting.The NUNW said yesterday that it fully embraced Friday’s court ruling and would accordingly pay Naholo all payments due to him since December 14 2005, when he was first suspended.This time around however, Naholo is being suspended with full pay pending investigations and a hearing.Naholo’s lawyer Unanisa Hengari said yesterday that his preliminary view was that Naholo’s suspension was again invalid.He said he would challenge the NUNW on this issue because this latest move had circumvented Friday’s court ruling.Evilastus Kaaronda has been appointed in Naholo’s position during his suspension.Kaaronda said yesterday that an investigation might find it unnecessary to hold a hearing against Naholo and drop the charges against him.The NUNW did not want to be held to a timeframe within which the investigation is to be conducted.The CEC further resolved that Muheua would be the official spokesperson on the matter against Naholo.”This resolution is taken in view of the heavy conflict of interest the NUNW President has in this matter,” Muheua announced to the media.’POLITICAL PRESSURE’ A representative of a group calling itself the Defence of Naholo Committee yesterday alleged that senior political leaders were involved in fuelling the witch-hunt against Naholo and said it was appalled that they had disrespected the law.”We want the rule of law to premise our national conduct.We are appalled by this action,” said the committee.The bitter row between the factions was sparked last year over the way in which the union leadership handled Swapo’s official version of April 1 1989, when hundreds of People’s Liberation Army of Namibia (Plan) fighters were killed.Naholo said at the time that NUNW affiliates had acted without consultation with the umbrella body when it publicly supported Swapo President Sam Nujoma’s denials that he was to blame for the deaths of the soldiers.Muheua and others then moved to oust him.Naholo took the NUNW to court to question the legitimacy and authority of those who decided to suspend him.On Friday, the High Court found in Naholo’s favour, ruling that the meeting that dismissed him had not been constituted properly.Muheua was ordered to pay the legal costs because he was deemed by the court to have acted without the knowledge of Kapenda.Said Muheua yesterday: “I want to categorically state that this issue is not between Naholo and Muheua.The NUNW is a shell and that shell is filled with affiliates.”