Swapo leaders ‘outdated’: Moongo

YOUNG members of the ruling Swapo Party would be better leaders for Namibia’s future than the present old guard, an opposition Member of Parliament said yesterday.

The youth of Swapo will be better leaders tomorrow than these outdated leaders there,” Phillemon Moongo, Vice President of the DTA party, said in the National Assembly, earning strong applause form the opposition benches in the House. Moongo was contributing to a motion tabled by Swapo MP Juliet Kavetuna, who requested the House to debate on the economic empowerment of Namibians.”After 18 years of Independence people squat on the street, which is a sign of lack of empowerment, and shebeens mushroom because people are unemployed and have no other means of making money,” Moongo criticised the ruling party.”As long as street vendors are pushed around by authorities and parastatals enrich themselves and the elite, there is no empowerment,” he said.Presidential Affairs Minister Albert Kawana joined the debate, saying governments should play a central role in driving economic growth.Deputy Labour Minister Petrus Ilonga repeated his decade-old call not to commercialise State assets and functions into State-owned enterprises.When DTA MP McHenry Venaani asked him a question on this, Ilonga remarked: “This time you are asking a patriotic question.””Do you insinuate that some opposition MPs are unpatriotic?” CoD Member Nora Schimming-Chase wanted to know from Ilonga.”Yes,” the Deputy Minister replied frankly.The Speaker, Theo-Ben Gurirab, instructed Ilonga to withdraw the “unpatriotic” statement.”All MPs elected to the National Assembly are patriotic and anybody who is unpatriotic has no place in this House,” the Speaker rebuked Ilonga.Moongo was contributing to a motion tabled by Swapo MP Juliet Kavetuna, who requested the House to debate on the economic empowerment of Namibians.”After 18 years of Independence people squat on the street, which is a sign of lack of empowerment, and shebeens mushroom because people are unemployed and have no other means of making money,” Moongo criticised the ruling party.”As long as street vendors are pushed around by authorities and parastatals enrich themselves and the elite, there is no empowerment,” he said.Presidential Affairs Minister Albert Kawana joined the debate, saying governments should play a central role in driving economic growth.Deputy Labour Minister Petrus Ilonga repeated his decade-old call not to commercialise State assets and functions into State-owned enterprises.When DTA MP McHenry Venaani asked him a question on this, Ilonga remarked: “This time you are asking a patriotic question.””Do you insinuate that some opposition MPs are unpatriotic?” CoD Member Nora Schimming-Chase wanted to know from Ilonga.”Yes,” the Deputy Minister replied frankly.The Speaker, Theo-Ben Gurirab, instructed Ilonga to withdraw the “unpatriotic” statement. “All MPs elected to the National Assembly are patriotic and anybody who is unpatriotic has no place in this House,” the Speaker rebuked Ilonga.