Shaningwa denies theft accusations from NEFF president

Swapo secretary general Sophia Shaningwa has fired back at Namibia Economic Freedom Fighters (NEFF) president Epafras Mukwiilongo, saying she is not a thief.

Shaningwa made the statement in an audio recording on Sunday, responding to accusations by Mukwiilongo, saying he should leave her name out of his ‘chaos’.

Speaking to The Namibian recently and in an audio that circulated on WhatsApp, Mukwiilongo accused foreign business owners of colluding with Shaningwa and other officials to flout Namibian laws and exploit local workers.

He specifically named Chinese, Zimbabwean and Indian nationals, alleging that a “Shaningwa clique” is responsible for awarding tenders to foreigners.

He also alleged that Ali Dharani of the Rani Group enjoys unfair business dominance in Namibia under the protection of high-ranking Swapo members, including Shaningwa.

Mukwiilongo claimed he was in discussions with unnamed foreign countries to acquire weapons, saying he is preparing for a war to liberate Namibians economically.

“If you want to bring chaos to Namibia, don’t do it using my name,” Shaningwa said in the audio response.

“You are claiming that foreign nationals like Zimbabweans, Chinese and Indians are here because of me.

I want to make it clear, Swapo is not my personal property, it belongs to the nation. Mukwiilongo, I want to tell you, I am not a thief. Even when you go to bed, remember that I am not a thief,” she warned.

Shaningwa further clarified that she has never worked for the home affairs ministry, which is responsible for issuing permits to foreign nationals.

“You should be directing your questions to the former ministers of home affairs who were in office when those permits were issued,” she said.

“I have never worked for the ministry of home affairs, and I have never been a minister of home affairs in the republic of Namibia.

“Get that right. Go to those ministers and ask them how those people came into the country. Leave my name out of this.
“Are you bewitched to keep using my name? What do you want from me? Mukwiilongo, I don’t own a mini market… Who sent you?” she added.

“This must be the last time I am warning you, leave my name alone,” she said, calling Mukwiilongo a coward who should confront his fellow men.

Swap Party Youth League secretary Ephraim Nekongo has called on the Namibian police to take action against Mukwiilongo for allegedly threatening to mobilise weapons and incite war in Namibia.

“I think we must alert the police so they can immediately arrest and begin questioning him.

That’s a serious security threat. If someone is mobilising weapons, it’s a national security issue,” Nekongo told The Namibian on Sunday.

Nekongo said exploitation must be dealt with through lawful means.

“Often, when we engage with Chinese businesspeople, they insist that Namibian laws must be respected. If anyone is breaking the law, they must be held accountable,” he said.

He further accused Mukwiilongo of being partly responsible for the dismissal of employees at the Rani Group at Oshakati, who were allegedly fired after protesting in 2023.

“These young people keep coming to us, saying, ‘Talk to these people, we lost our jobs.’ We urge Namibians not to be used for political expediency by people who claim to represent the nation but, upon analysis, contribute nothing of substance,” he said.

Nekongo emphasised that Swapo does not condone exploitation and prefers to resolve issues through dialogue and within the framework of the law.

“Mukwiilongo’s statement is backward and belongs in the political dustbin. If he is seeking relevance, he should not politicise the bread-and-butter issues affecting our people,” Nekongo said.

Police deputy inspector general Elias Mutota also told The Namibian yesterday that the police are analysing Mukwiilongo’s comments before summoning him for questioning.

“Those comments are tantamount to threats against national security. As the security sector, we are analysing them, and at the appropriate time, we will make a formal statement,” Mutota said.

However, NEFF parliamentarian Kalimbo Iipumbu yesterday told The Namibian that the party stands by Mukwiilongo’s comments.

“The utterances made by our commander-in-chief do not mean we want disunity or war.

It is a clarion call to the leadership of Swapo to say: those in bed with the Chinese and Indians must be called out so that Namibians can enjoy prosperity,” Iipumbu said.

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