Ousted Nabta officials hit back

THE dismissed Chairman of the Namibia Bus and Taxi Association (Nabta) in the Oshana Region and three suspended members of Nabta’s Executive Committee have called for an extraordinary Nabta congress to discuss their ouster.

Nabta President Magnus Nangombe earlier this month dismissed Oshana regional chairman Pendapala Nakathingo, who was appointed after the Nabta congress held at Otjiwarongo last year, with effect from October 9. Nangombe also announced the suspension of three exco members – National Secretary Vesper Muunda, Deputy National Treasurer Immanuel Ankambo and National Deputy Secretary Elvis Kauesa.A letter signed by Nangombe and his two vice presidents, Innocent Simasiku and Kalunda Mwengo, said Nakathingo had failed to convene several Nabta meetings in the region.The letter further said that Nakathingo was not an active Nabta member, which disqualified him from serving in any of the organisation’s structures.He also “violated Nabta congress conditions, rules and requirements and entered the Nabta congress hall in Otjiwarongo through fraudulent means,” according to the letter.Letters to Kauesa, Muunda and Ankambo said they were suspended because they too were not active members of Nabta and they violated congress rules by entering the congress hall through fraudulent means.They have been forbidden from acting on behalf of Nabta in any manner.Nakathingo, Muunda and Ankambo have dismissed Nangombe’s allegations, saying that they were being victimised because many members had voiced complaints about Nangombe at a Nabta meeting held in Windhoek on August 12.At the meeting, Nangombe was accused of serving his own interests and using Nabta for his own gain, they said.Ankambo told The Namibian over the weekend that he and the other three dismissed or suspended officials had expressed concern about this practice.In a letter to Nangombe, copied to Transport Minister Joel Kaapanda and other officials, the four men say their dismissal was invalid, because it was not done according to Nabta’s rules and regulations or the Labour Act.They said an urgent meeting of the executive committee and regional chairmen would be held soon to look into the matter.”Why was the suspension not discussed in the 12 August meeting,” they want to know.The four are also demanding that the minutes of the August 12 meeting be made public.Nangombe also announced the suspension of three exco members – National Secretary Vesper Muunda, Deputy National Treasurer Immanuel Ankambo and National Deputy Secretary Elvis Kauesa.A letter signed by Nangombe and his two vice presidents, Innocent Simasiku and Kalunda Mwengo, said Nakathingo had failed to convene several Nabta meetings in the region.The letter further said that Nakathingo was not an active Nabta member, which disqualified him from serving in any of the organisation’s structures.He also “violated Nabta congress conditions, rules and requirements and entered the Nabta congress hall in Otjiwarongo through fraudulent means,” according to the letter.Letters to Kauesa, Muunda and Ankambo said they were suspended because they too were not active members of Nabta and they violated congress rules by entering the congress hall through fraudulent means.They have been forbidden from acting on behalf of Nabta in any manner.Nakathingo, Muunda and Ankambo have dismissed Nangombe’s allegations, saying that they were being victimised because many members had voiced complaints about Nangombe at a Nabta meeting held in Windhoek on August 12.At the meeting, Nangombe was accused of serving his own interests and using Nabta for his own gain, they said.Ankambo told The Namibian over the weekend that he and the other three dismissed or suspended officials had expressed concern about this practice.In a letter to Nangombe, copied to Transport Minister Joel Kaapanda and other officials, the four men say their dismissal was invalid, because it was not done according to Nabta’s rules and regulations or the Labour Act.They said an urgent meeting of the executive committee and regional chairmen would be held soon to look into the matter.”Why was the suspension not discussed in the 12 August meeting,” they want to know.The four are also demanding that the minutes of the August 12 meeting be made public.