Nudo declares war on corruption

NUDO President Kuaima Riruako says his party has resolved to “unanimously wage war” on all forms of corruption in the country.

Informing the media yesterday of decisions made at the party’s Central Committee meeting last weekend, Riruako said Nudo passed resolutions on issues such as corruption, decentralisation, land reform and agriculture. “The degree of political and socio-economic corruption,” he said, “has reached alarming proportions, (and) it will soon throw the country into chaos and anarchy.”The meeting, he said, rejected statements made by the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, telling the nation to “forget about a N$3,1 million” loss made by the Ministry of Defence in an arms deal with bogus weapons merchants back in 2001.He added that political and socio-economic corruption was obstructing development and that people were employed in strategic Government positions whether they were qualified or not.On the process of decentralisation, he said Government had broken its promise to take government to the people, as 15 years after Independence, different regions had still not come any closer to deciding on matters affecting them.Riruako called on Government to create a conducive environment for the ruling party and opposition movements alike to map out strategies for reaching the goals outlined in Vision 2030.He said Government should release the findings of all commissions of inquiry into the use of State funds and property.”It is the right of the people of Namibia to know the wrongs committed by those who they elected to positions of responsibility,” he said.Riruako also used the opportunity to discuss a placard carried at a recent Herero demonstration, which stated “kill all whites”.As in the past, he distanced himself and his party from the placard.”It is known that this man [the person responsible for penning the poster] was in jail,” he said.”He’s a resident of Otjiwarongo and a card-carrying member of Swapo,” he added, alleging that the person had snuck in among demonstrators to undermine their intentions.Riruako led demonstrators through the streets of Windhoek in August to hand a petition to the Prime Minister’s office, to protest against Germany obtaining a permanent seat on an expanded UN Security Council.They also demanded reparations from Germany for the 1904-1907 genocide against the Herero people.”We still appeal to the UN not to give a counsel seat to the Germans,” Riruako said yesterday.”But we want everything to pass in an orderly fashion.”Asked whether the party would lay criminal charges against the hate-placard carrier, Riruako said: “I’m not here to do the Police’s job.””The degree of political and socio-economic corruption,” he said, “has reached alarming proportions, (and) it will soon throw the country into chaos and anarchy.”The meeting, he said, rejected statements made by the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, telling the nation to “forget about a N$3,1 million” loss made by the Ministry of Defence in an arms deal with bogus weapons merchants back in 2001.He added that political and socio-economic corruption was obstructing development and that people were employed in strategic Government positions whether they were qualified or not.On the process of decentralisation, he said Government had broken its promise to take government to the people, as 15 years after Independence, different regions had still not come any closer to deciding on matters affecting them.Riruako called on Government to create a conducive environment for the ruling party and opposition movements alike to map out strategies for reaching the goals outlined in Vision 2030.He said Government should release the findings of all commissions of inquiry into the use of State funds and property.”It is the right of the people of Namibia to know the wrongs committed by those who they elected to positions of responsibility,” he said. Riruako also used the opportunity to discuss a placard carried at a recent Herero demonstration, which stated “kill all whites”.As in the past, he distanced himself and his party from the placard.”It is known that this man [the person responsible for penning the poster] was in jail,” he said.”He’s a resident of Otjiwarongo and a card-carrying member of Swapo,” he added, alleging that the person had snuck in among demonstrators to undermine their intentions.Riruako led demonstrators through the streets of Windhoek in August to hand a petition to the Prime Minister’s office, to protest against Germany obtaining a permanent seat on an expanded UN Security Council. They also demanded reparations from Germany for the 1904-1907 genocide against the Herero people. “We still appeal to the UN not to give a counsel seat to the Germans,” Riruako said yesterday.”But we want everything to pass in an orderly fashion.” Asked whether the party would lay criminal charges against the hate-placard carrier, Riruako said: “I’m not here to do the Police’s job.”