Swapo payments haunt musicians

NAMIBIA’s two most high-profile musicians have dismissed allegations that the N$5 million they received from Swapo in 2014 were proceeds of the Fishrot corruption scandal.

The two musicians have allegedly been the biggest beneficiaries of Swapo’s so-called ‘politainment’ campaigning strategy, which uses well-known artists to obtain voter support.

The cosy relationship between King Tee Dee, real name Martin Morocky, Gazza, real name Lazarus Shiimi, and Swapo dates back to 2004 when they were part of an album called ‘Omalaeti O’Swapo’, which featured the then-presidential candidate Hifikepunye Pohamba.

Swapo also commissioned them for another special gig before the 2014 national elections.

This time they were asked to produce an album for the party.

Each received N$2,5 million to produce the Swapo propaganda album titled ‘Solid’, and performed at the ruling party’s major rallies.

This was part of the N$7 million spent on Namibian musicians to exclusively campaign for the ruling party.

The remaining N$2 million was then distributed among other artists, such as Ovirittje group Bullet ya Kaoko, music producer Araffath Muhuure and various cultural groups.

President Hage Geingob and his party won the 2014 elections with more than 86%.

It has subsequently emerged that his campaign was allegedly funded through money laundered from a state-owned fishing company and other corruption schemes.

Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) documents show that lawyer Sisa Namandje’s law firm, Sisa Namandje & Co, and lawyer Marén de Klerk’s MB de Klerk and Associates, were used to cover Swapo’s campaign expenses.

Most of these funds were allegedly laundered from the National Fishing Corporation of Namibia (Fishcor).

Some of it came from Samherji, the Icelandic company accused of bribing Namibian ministers and Swapo to get fishing quotas.

It is still not clear where Swapo sourced the millions from to fund Gazza and King Tee Dee.

Gazza told last week he was not aware of the source of the monies paid for his professional services.

“I acted in good faith when approached by Swapo to perform as part of their election campaign,” he said.

The ‘Cosa Nostra’ album hitmaker said he was not obliged to investigate the source of the money paid to him.

The Namibian Annual Music Awards’ artist of the decade dismissed the allegation that Swapo’s N$2,5 million elevated his career.

“I cannot speak for The Dogg (King Tee Dee). On my behalf, it is wrong, unfair and slanderous to allege that my career was elevated due to my professional services being paid from monies allegedly obtained from the proceeds of corruption,” he said.

Gazza said he is appalled by the Fishrot corruption scandal.

“It is clear that, as a nation, we have much to do to prevent alleged acts of corruption,” he said.

Gazza has often been criticised on social media for turning a blind eye to Swapo’s alleged large-scale corruption.

He is unapologetic about his ties to Swapo.

“There’s only one true party, the Swapo party and there’s only one true presidential candidate, Hage Geingob,” he said in October 2019 before the presidential and parliamentary elections.

The scandal-hit Swapo was handed its heaviest defeat since independence, with Geingob’s support reduced by close to 30% during the 2019 elections.

Tamson ‘Fitty’ Hatuikulipi, who is said to have been paid around N$70 million from Fishrot deals, is often seen in Gazza’s music videos.

In fact, Gazza used Hatuikulipi’s vehicles with number plates ‘Fitlas’ in videos such as ‘Tufike Apa’.

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