SWAPO has appointed finance minister Calle Schlettwein to work with party secretary general Sophia Shaningwa to ensure that the contract to build the party’s new head office in Windhoek is awarded transparently.
The decision was made after President Hage Geingob was tipped off that a clique of businessmen wanted the tender that was initially valued at around N$400 million.
The party wants to transform the head offices in Windhoek, across the road from the Katutura State Hospital along Independence Avenue, into a modern office complex.
The Namibian understands that several designs were made for the new party head office. A leaked design shows a proposal for the new headquarters with 10 floors to accommodate party offices, parking lots and a shopping mall.
Little was known about the Swapo head office tender until earlier this year when Shaningwa, after becoming secretary general, vaguely announced that the construction of the party offices would start this year. She was so optimistic that she announced that construction would start this month. The plans were so advanced that Shaningwa previously admitted that an architect, Jack Mutua Architects, had been picked to design the new party headquarters.
The architect, however, came under scrutiny after The Namibian reported in April this year that the firm was not only picked by Shaningwa to design the new headquarters, but it also recommended a company owned by the secretary general’s brother for another tender. Jack Mutua Architects has denied any wrongdoing. The construction of the new Swapo headquarters was previously the responsibility of the party secretary general, but that arrangement changed recently.
What attracted Geingob’s attention to the headquarters’ tender saga was a briefing he received from senior party leaders about lobbying by certain party officials for the contract to be awarded to specific businessmen. That’s when Geingob allegedly stepped in and discussed the headquarters’ tender at a politburo meeting, which is the highest decision-making body outside a congress.
It’s unclear when this meeting was held, but is informed that the politburo recently appointed Schlettwein to work with Shaningwa to oversee the head office tender.
A person familiar with this matter said two designs were recently rejected by the politburo, which then requested the group of leaders tasked with overseeing the project to get more designs.
According to party insiders, Schlettwein was also asked to assist Shaningwa in evaluating bids by private companies interested in managing the proposed conference hall at the new party building.
Presidential spokesperson Alfredo Hengari confirmed to yesterday that “the President subjected the construction of the Swapo headquarters to a transparent and inclusive process”.
“It is why the President repeatedly refers to the formula of transparency and accountability, translating into trust between elected representatives and the electorate,” he said.
Shaningwa refused to answer questions about the Schlettwein twist. “Just write, like you always do. You don’t need to contact me. Just continue writing. I told you to stop provoking me,” she said.
The introduction of Schlettwein into the head office deal reduces Shaningwa’s powers in being the key decisionmaker in who gets the tender.
Some believe the new arrangement will benefit Shaningwa, unlike the previous arrangement where she would have been under intense scrutiny because of her discretionary power.
The design of the new party head office has been secret over the past years.
One of the leaked designs reviewed by shows a proposal for a 10-floor building, including a basement and a shopping mall on land measuring 14 000 square metres.
The design also included a 170-car parking lot.
It’s unclear whether the design was rejected or accepted, but architect Jack Mutua said yesterday that it was not his design.
A source who contacted two weeks ago said the cost of the new Swapo head office was initially N$200 million, but it ballooned to N$400 million. According to the source, the proposed head office was set to include luxury furniture and marble fittings for a library and executive meeting rooms.
Attempts to get comment from Schlettwein were unsuccessful.
Schlettwein has been Geingob’s trusted minister over the years. His tough stance on several alleged irregularly awarded government contracts has made him a popular minister, while some of his Cabinet colleagues have secretly complained about how powerful Schlettwein has become.
