Nudo accused of mismanaging N$16 million

The National Unity Democratic Organisation (Nudo) leadership faces allegations of misusing N$16 million received from parliament.

This accusation was made last weekend by Rirua Komeheke, who is also a supporter of former Namibia Football Association secretary general Barry Rukoro. Rukoro aims to contend for the Nudo presidency.

Komeheke claimed there is a lack of proper budgeting for the funds over a five-year period.

“There’s no evidence or tangible results of what the money was used for. The party has no money left for essential activities like organising a congress,” he said.

Although Nudo has financial reports, these were not approved by the national council, he added.

Nudo secretary general Joseph Kauandenge rubbished the allegations, saying the party’s books are audited every year by reputable firms.

“We submit our audited financial reports every year to the Electoral Commission of Namibia and we have done that for the past five years. There is no money that has been missing, that’s pure lies. If we have been misusing public money, why then were we not deregistered by the ECN as they did with other parties?”
Kauandenge said the allegations were nonsense and baseless.

“We have nothing to fear, our books and files are open.”

ELECTIVE CONGRESS POSTPONED

Over the weekend, Nudo president Esther Muinjangue had to call off the congress following an urgent meeting of the national executive committee.

“The failures of the leadership to host the national congress has proven beyond any reasonable doubt that Nudo needs a serious overhaul and change of leadership,” said Rukoro, who accused Muinjangue of breaching Nudo’s constitution.

“It is important to note that in terms of the constitution and in the absence of the national congress, the national council is the highest decision making body of the party and its decisions cannot be reversed by either the national executive committee or by a unilateral decision of the president,” he added.

SWAPO CAPTURE

Rukoro further accused some party members of being “captured” by Swapo.

“We can state that the intention was clearly to collapse the national congress, that the party is clearly captured by some Swapo members of our community.”

Swapo secretary general Sophia Shaningwa said the party doesn’t capture people, it works for the people.

“Swapo is trying its best and if people are joining Swapo, they see the light,” she said.

LET THEM FAIL ON THEIR OWN

Swapo deputy secretary general Uahekua Herunga said Nudo has nothing to offer to the people of Namibia.

“I fail to understand the relationship between Nudo and Swapo, since when? Let them fail on their own and leave Swapo alone,” said Herunga. Political observer Kae Matundu-Tjiparuro emphasised the need for empirical evidence to substantiate claims of capture.

“Thus begging the question, if it is Nudo that has been captured, or individuals who may have been captured, and what the empirical evidence is of such capturing?
“Yes, one cannot deny the fact that there may have been individuals within Nudo who may have been captured by, for instance, Swapo.”

Matundu-Tjiparuro said assertions on political capture should be based on concrete evidence rather than speculation.

He further said one must be cautious about equating the personal political ambitions of an individual with the mission of a whole movement.