People should take to the streets to protest corruption, says CoD

THE opposition Congress of Democrats (CoD) yesterday expressed concern at a spate of corrupt activities that have made headlines, saying it was high time the public took to the streets to protest such activities.

Addressing members of the media in Windhoek, the party’s President and sitting MP, Ben Ulenga, accused members of the ruling Swapo Party of singing anti-corruption songs by day but perpetrating the very act during the night. Ulenga said while President Hifikepunye Pohamba had taken centre stage since his inauguration, speaking out passionately on corruption, nothing had been done to punish senior Swapo and Government officials who he alleged were steering the rot.”At this stage let me say that the President risks losing his credibility as far as fighting corruption is concerned because it will be extremely difficult for him to ostracise his senior party cadres who are busy milking the system,” said Ulenga.It was against such a backdrop, he said, that the public, irrespective of party affiliation, should join hands and forces, in fighting the cancerous disease that was destroying the country.In apparent reference to the Avid Investment saga, that saw the greenhorn asset management company literally walk off with N$30 million from the Social Security Commission (SSC), Ulenga claimed that a Swapo hand at top government level was visible in the deal.What was more shocking, added the CoD leader, was that one of Namangol’s directors, one of the companies caught up in the Avid saga, Benedictus Josea, had apparently donated some N$300 000 to the Sam Nujoma Foundation at more or less the same time cash was being swindled from the SSC to Avid.”This is a threat our country is facing and all Namibians irrespective of political affiliation must stand up and be counted in the fight against this cancer threatening our society and tarnishing our good image internationally.”A common thread that runs through it all is that these are Swapo leaders and Government leaders using Swapo connections to steal Namibia’s public resources,” charged Ulenga.The visibly shaken Ulenga, flanked by his deputy and colleagues, alleged that political patronage was being used to embezzle public funds for self enrichment.”There can be no other explanation for what is happening whether it is at Avid, the National Housing Enterprise (NHE), Offshore Development Company (ODC) or the SSC, public funds are being made available to Swapo leaders to enable them to become overnight millionaires without established business credentials or collateral and without compliance with the law,” he charged.Ulenga noted that Government had remained silent on commissions of enquiry that continued to implicate the same faces.The culprits were thus being recycled from one parastatal to the other while the rot continued.”All Namibians pay pension contributions, taxes, social security, yet the same funds find their way into dubious projects and companies owned by Swapo leaders,” he said.”Our money is meant for the poor not for Swapo leaders.We must be seen in the streets protesting against corruption and lack of action from Government.”The CoD said the time had come for planned anti-corruption commissioners to be appointed as a matter of urgency.Ulenga said while President Hifikepunye Pohamba had taken centre stage since his inauguration, speaking out passionately on corruption, nothing had been done to punish senior Swapo and Government officials who he alleged were steering the rot.”At this stage let me say that the President risks losing his credibility as far as fighting corruption is concerned because it will be extremely difficult for him to ostracise his senior party cadres who are busy milking the system,” said Ulenga.It was against such a backdrop, he said, that the public, irrespective of party affiliation, should join hands and forces, in fighting the cancerous disease that was destroying the country.In apparent reference to the Avid Investment saga, that saw the greenhorn asset management company literally walk off with N$30 million from the Social Security Commission (SSC), Ulenga claimed that a Swapo hand at top government level was visible in the deal.What was more shocking, added the CoD leader, was that one of Namangol’s directors, one of the companies caught up in the Avid saga, Benedictus Josea, had apparently donated some N$300 000 to the Sam Nujoma Foundation at more or less the same time cash was being swindled from the SSC to Avid.”This is a threat our country is facing and all Namibians irrespective of political affiliation must stand up and be counted in the fight against this cancer threatening our society and tarnishing our good image internationally.”A common thread that runs through it all is that these are Swapo leaders and Government leaders using Swapo connections to steal Namibia’s public resources,” charged Ulenga.The visibly shaken Ulenga, flanked by his deputy and colleagues, alleged that political patronage was being used to embezzle public funds for self enrichment.”There can be no other explanation for what is happening whether it is at Avid, the National Housing Enterprise (NHE), Offshore Development Company (ODC) or the SSC, public funds are being made available to Swapo leaders to enable them to become overnight millionaires without established business credentials or collateral and without compliance with the law,” he charged.Ulenga noted that Government had remained silent on commissions of enquiry that continued to implicate the same faces.The culprits were thus being recycled from one parastatal to the other while the rot continued.”All Namibians pay pension contributions, taxes, social security, yet the same funds find their way into dubious projects and companies owned by Swapo leaders,” he said.”Our money is meant for the poor not for Swapo leaders.We must be seen in the streets protesting against corruption and lack of action from Government.”The CoD said the time had come for planned anti-corruption commissioners to be appointed as a matter of urgency.