Former president Hifikepunye Pohamba has criticised the Namibia University of Science and Technology (Nust) over stalled development at its Eenhana campus, linking this to leadership issues and funding delays.
He says he had planned to boycott the graduation ceremony of 141 students at the campus yesterday, due to the university’s failure to develop its infrastructure since it was inaugurated in March 2022.
Pohamba, who serves as the patron of the Eenhana campus, however, changed his mind after being personally convinced by Nust chancellor Peter Katjavivi to attend the ceremony.
Katjavivi visited the former president at his traditional homestead in Okanghudi village at Ondobe in the Ohangwena region.
“They made me feel happy somehow when they came to see me yesterday at my residence. It was a delegation led by my dear colleague, Peter Katjavivi.
“I met Katjavivi in 1964. Count the period. They were so clever to send Hitjevi Peter Katjavivi to come to me. Otherwise, the situation could not have developed the way it is today,” Pohamba said during the ceremony.
He said he was disappointed with the lack of progress in developing the Eenhana campus and urged the government to take action.
The former president directed his message to deputy minister of education, innovation, youth, sport, arts and culture Dino Ballotti, who also attended the event.
“I am an honest person. We cannot, we can never be in this situation . . . putting up something and that something that we have put up is not being implemented. Eenhana campus must come up now rather than later,” he said.
He further revealed a tense exchange with Nust campus director Lukas Shikulo.
“I told the director of Eenhana campus, Lukas Shikulo, that either he leaves or Pohamba leaves,” he said. Contacted for comment yesterday, Shikulo said questions about construction are beyond his ay grade.
Addressing the audience during the event, Ballotti announced that approximately N$50 million has been allocated for the construction of three Nust campuses – Eenhana included.
“The money is there, and we can expect the construction of the Eenhana campus to commence very soon,” he said. Nust sources have indicated that the lack of development at the Eenhana campus is among the reasons the university’s governing council decided not to renew vice chancellor Erold Naomab’s employment contract, which expires on 3 December.
Nust council chairperson Leake Hangala in a statement last month confirmed that Noamab’s contract would not be renewed.
Naomab has unsuccessfully sought the intervention of education minister Sanet Steenkamp to save his job.
His appointment as Nust vice chancellor in November 2020 was controversial.
Fellow contender Frednard Gideon, University of Namibia’s vice chancellor for academic affairs, challenged the decision in court, arguing that Naomab was selected as the best candidate in spite of Gideon’s superior performance.
Gideon said he was recommended by the interview committee.
The High Court dismissed Gideon’s case.
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