Nored demands Kapia apology

SWAPO Youth League leader Paulus Kapia has been ordered to publicly apologise for his recent slanderous attack on the Northern Regions Electricity Distribution Company (Nored).

The SPYL Secretary, who has a tendency to shoot from the hip and imitate President Sam Nujoma’s finger-wagging, was served with a letter of demand last week, giving him one week to retract his Nored attack or face legal action. Speaking at a public meeting in Ondangwa more than a week ago, Kapia accused Nored of sabotaging President Nujoma’s address at the northern town.Kapia said Nored had planned a power failure while Nujoma was opening the Olute Foods’ Research Development as well as the Community Skills Development Centre (Cosdec) at Ondangwa two Fridays ago.”This is sabotage of the highest order,” claimed the SPYL Secretary, who is one of the rabid defenders of the President.”It was just an unfortunate situation and not a planned power failure,” said Nored spokesperson Frans Niikondo.He explained that a tree fell onto electricity cables supplying power to the town, causing the outage.Kapia argued that Nored deliberately stopped the President’s message from reaching the audience by cutting of the power supply.He did not suggest that Nujoma was forced to abandon his speech because of the power failure.The Namibian understands that Nored wanted a public withdrawal of the attack within a week, before considering other legal action.Nored Chairman Erastus Uutoni and the Swapo co-ordinator for the Oshana Region at the weekend declined to shed light on the company’s move.”I don’t want to discuss these things,” said Uutoni.Kapia, pleaded ignorance of the letter of demand: “I have not heard about it.Perhaps it is still coming.”Lawyers acting for Nored confirmed they had received instruction to act on Kapia’s allegations, but referred further queries to the company.Nored management could not be reached over the weekend.Kapia has distinguished himself as one of the most fanatical defenders of President Nujoma, brooking no criticism of the man who led Namibia to Independence for 30 years and presided over its affairs for 15 years thereafter.Kapia did not indicate whether he will apologise or reverse his outburst.Nored is owned by the power utility parastatal, NamPower, municipalities as well as regional councils in northern Namibia.Speaking at a public meeting in Ondangwa more than a week ago, Kapia accused Nored of sabotaging President Nujoma’s address at the northern town.Kapia said Nored had planned a power failure while Nujoma was opening the Olute Foods’ Research Development as well as the Community Skills Development Centre (Cosdec) at Ondangwa two Fridays ago.”This is sabotage of the highest order,” claimed the SPYL Secretary, who is one of the rabid defenders of the President.”It was just an unfortunate situation and not a planned power failure,” said Nored spokesperson Frans Niikondo.He explained that a tree fell onto electricity cables supplying power to the town, causing the outage.Kapia argued that Nored deliberately stopped the President’s message from reaching the audience by cutting of the power supply.He did not suggest that Nujoma was forced to abandon his speech because of the power failure.The Namibian understands that Nored wanted a public withdrawal of the attack within a week, before considering other legal action.Nored Chairman Erastus Uutoni and the Swapo co-ordinator for the Oshana Region at the weekend declined to shed light on the company’s move.”I don’t want to discuss these things,” said Uutoni.Kapia, pleaded ignorance of the letter of demand: “I have not heard about it.Perhaps it is still coming.”Lawyers acting for Nored confirmed they had received instruction to act on Kapia’s allegations, but referred further queries to the company.Nored management could not be reached over the weekend.Kapia has distinguished himself as one of the most fanatical defenders of President Nujoma, brooking no criticism of the man who led Namibia to Independence for 30 years and presided over its affairs for 15 years thereafter.Kapia did not indicate whether he will apologise or reverse his outburst.Nored is owned by the power utility parastatal, NamPower, municipalities as well as regional councils in northern Namibia.