NMDC condemns pay hike for top politicians

PRESIDENT Hifikepunye Pohamba’s decision to increase the salaries of political office bearers by 24 per cent is ‘rotten to the core’, the Namibia Democratic Movement for Change said yesterday.

NMDC Secretary General Joseph Kauandenge said in a media statement that the move was ‘as tasteless as an expired tin of fish’ as politicians were more and more becoming hypocrites denying others pay rises while they gave themselves salary increases.
‘We strongly believe that, in light of the current socio-economic problems faced by Namibians, and considering that many Namibians depend on less than a US$1 a day, political leaders should be the last to entertain salary hikes for themselves,’ Kauandenge said.
Pohamba announced that political officer bearers will get a 12 per cent increase as soon as the decision has been gazetted and another 12 per cent when the National Budget is approved for the next financial year.
The increases will be for the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Ministers, Deputy Ministers, Speaker of the National Assembly, Chairperson of the National Council and all members of the National Assembly and National Council.
They came in the wake of protracted negotiations between Government’s negotiating team and union leaders over increases for civil servants.
‘Namibia’s State coffers can no longer afford to be used as a transmitting belt for wealth and, at best, as a milking cow. It is regrettable that those entrusted with leadership positions are using every available opportunity to enrich themselves,’ the NMDC said.
The opposition party believes that politicians already receive ‘many benefits’ on top of their salaries and thus there was no justification for the increases.
‘What is more alarming is the fact that because opposition parties in Parliament will also benefit from this exercise, there is a deafening silence on their part,’ the statement said. NMDC said opposition should have rejected the increases as a matter of principle – ‘but again, would they?’
That has led the NMDC to believe Governmentwas practising ‘politics of the belly’ by only looking after their own interest.
The President’s decision to increase the salaries by 24 per cent was taken after a report presented by the Public Office-Bearers (Remuneration and Benefits) Commission.
In February, the Commission informed Pohamba that politicians’ salaries lagged behind by 86 per cent in terms of the consumer price index. They proposed a 29 per cent for this financial year.
However, Pohamba delayed acting on the report.
Minister of Presidential Affairs Dr Albert Kawana said the President considered prevailing economic conditions caused by drought, the country’s expected economic performance, the financial means of the State, inflation and the principle that public office bearers are there to serve the people, before he decided on the 24 per cent increase.