NSHR condemns Nujoma office cost

A LOCAL human rights organisation has called on Cabinet to rescind its decision to build a new office for former President Sam Nujoma at a cost of N$21,6 million.

The National Society for Human Rights (NSHR) said it questioned the wisdom and rationale behind “yet another excessive and inexcusable expenditure for former Namibian President Sam Nujoma”. The Namibian reported on Friday that Cabinet had approved nearly N$21,6 million to build a luxurious new office for Nujoma on top of the annual budget for his pension and running of his present office and household, which amount to about N$5 million a year.”As a human rights organisation, we question this unjustifiable expenditure on moral, financial and socio-economic grounds and the terms of reference as well as the moral imperatives for this spending on Nujoma should be made public,” the NSHR said in a statement yesterday.Namibia, which is applying for least developed country (LDC) status, could hardly qualify for such status and expect to receive money from developed nations while it spends its own supposedly scarce financial resources on its former President, the organisation criticised.The new office expenditure will be an additional burden on the country’s already strained treasury.Since 2005 Namibian taxpayers have been forking out several million dollars for Nujoma’s retirement package.In terms of the Former Presidents’ Pension and Other Benefits Act of 2004 and based on the former President’s monthly salary at the time, Nujoma has received, in cash, a tax-free gratuity and one year’s pension of more than N$830 000 during the 2005-06 fiscal year alone.Since then Nujoma has been receiving a yearly pension of no less than N$400 000.Furthermore, under the Act, Nujoma’s monthly pension should be the greater amount of either his monthly basic salary at the time of his retirement or the incumbent President Pohamba’s current basic monthly salary.The perks Nujoma has been receiving, which in all likelihood are running into several millions of Namibia dollars, are not publicly known.At the time of his retirement Nujoma was entitled to three sumptuous motor vehicles – a Mercedes Benz S500, a four-wheel-drive station wagon and an light delivery vehicle.If purchased new the Mercedes Benz S500 could cost as much as N$930 000.According to the said Act, these vehicles must be placed at Nujoma’s permanent disposal, while the taxpayers pay for their fuel and maintenance.In terms of the Act, Nujoma is also entitled to a lavish residence in Windhoek, also at the expense of taxpayers.This house is worth as much as N$20 000 a month in rent, but should Nujoma decline such a residence, he is entitled to pocket a housing allowance yet to be determined by Cabinet.According to the law, Nujoma has been afforded about ten security personnel, three drivers, two private secretaries and two personal attendants as well as two office attendants at the cost of the State.Additional staff for Nujoma, for which the taxpayer is footing the bill, include three domestic workers, two gardeners, two cooks, two waiters and two laundry workers to run his household.On top of all the aforementioned, taxpayers must also foot the bill – exact amounts unknown – for Nujoma’s medical aid, international trips and local travel, entertainment, telephone and utilities.”All these expenditures are being made at the time the country is plagued by insurmountable socio-economic hardships.This includes the decaying public health system, a crisis-ridden educational system as well as a chronic shortage of housing for the poor and vulnerable members of our society,” said NSHR Executive Director Phil ya Nangoloh.”The people of this country are chronically reminded that Nujoma is a national hero.But isn’t a real hero someone who has or is sacrificing his life for others?” asked Ya Nangoloh.”Can Nujoma really feel comfortable to receive this new office while his people are faced with a host of near-insurmountable socio-economic hardships?”The Namibian reported on Friday that Cabinet had approved nearly N$21,6 million to build a luxurious new office for Nujoma on top of the annual budget for his pension and running of his present office and household, which amount to about N$5 million a year.”As a human rights organisation, we question this unjustifiable expenditure on moral, financial and socio-economic grounds and the terms of reference as well as the moral imperatives for this spending on Nujoma should be made public,” the NSHR said in a statement yesterday.Namibia, which is applying for least developed country (LDC) status, could hardly qualify for such status and expect to receive money from developed nations while it spends its own supposedly scarce financial resources on its former President, the organisation criticised.The new office expenditure will be an additional burden on the country’s already strained treasury.Since 2005 Namibian taxpayers have been forking out several million dollars for Nujoma’s retirement package.In terms of the Former Presidents’ Pension and Other Benefits Act of 2004 and based on the former President’s monthly salary at the time, Nujoma has received, in cash, a tax-free gratuity and one year’s pension of more than N$830 000 during the 2005-06 fiscal year alone.Since then Nujoma has been receiving a yearly pension of no less than N$400 000.Furthermore, under the Act, Nujoma’s monthly pension should be the greater amount of either his monthly basic salary at the time of his retirement or the incumbent President Pohamba’s current basic monthly salary.The perks Nujoma has been receiving, which in all likelihood are running into several millions of Namibia dollars, are not publicly known.At the time of his retirement Nujoma was entitled to three sumptuous motor vehicles – a Mercedes Benz S500, a four-wheel-drive station wagon and an light delivery vehicle.If purchased new the Mercedes Benz S500 could cost as much as N$930 000.According to the said Act, these vehicles must be placed at Nujoma’s permanent disposal, while the taxpayers pay for their fuel and maintenance.In terms of the Act, Nujoma is also entitled to a lavish residence in Windhoek, also at the expense of taxpayers.This house is worth as much as N$20 000 a month in rent, but should Nujoma decline such a residence, he is entitled to pocket a housing allowance yet to be determined by Cabinet.According to the law, Nujoma has been afforded about ten security personnel, three drivers, two private secretaries and two personal attendants as well as two office attendants at the cost of the State.Additional staff for Nujoma, for which the taxpayer is footing the bill, include three domestic workers, two gardeners, two cooks, two waiters and two laundry workers to run his household.On top of all the aforementioned, taxpayers must also foot the bill – exact amounts unknown – for Nujoma’s medical aid, international trips and local travel, entertainment, telephone and utilities.”All these expenditures are being made at the time the country is plagued by insurmountable socio-economic hardships.This includes the decaying public health system, a crisis-ridden educational system as well as a chronic shortage of housing for the poor and vulnerable members of our society,” said NSHR Executive Director Phil ya Nangoloh.”The people of this country are chronically reminded that Nujoma is a national hero.But isn’t a real hero someone who has or is sacrificing his life for others?” asked Ya Nangoloh.”Can Nujoma really feel comfortable to receive this new office while his people are faced with a host of near-insurmountable socio-economic hardships?”