Ulenga changes keys to political kingdom

THE disputed leadership of the main opposition party has changed the locks at the party’s offices – clearly to bar a rebel faction from entering the premises, but denies that that is the reason.

Disunity erupted at a special congress the Congress of Democrats (CoD) earlier this month, splitting the party into two factions. On Friday, a locksmith was called to open the office safe, although the owner of the premises had a spare key.Party President Ben Ulenga was “re-elected” under controversial circumstances at an extraordinary CoD congress at Keetmanshoop.About half of the 300 delegates walked out after the election results were announced.Ignatius Shixwameni, who lost to Ulenga by 14 votes in the disputed vote, led the group, which included prominent personalities such as former Secretary General Kala Gertze, former Vice President Nora Schimming-Chase, Moses Katjiuongua and Elma Dienda.”The safe belongs to me as per lease contract with the Congress of Democrats (CoD) since the office rented out to them is my property,” the owner of the premises, Peter Dahl, told The Namibian on Saturday.”They could have phoned me and I would have brought the spare key.”Dahl was also surprised that all door locks had been changed when he arrived at the CoD offices on Friday, alerted by a concerned member.”As the owner I also have a set of spare keys for all doors for that office.If a tenant changes all locks and keys, I need a spare set of the new keys and it would have been good if they had notified me,” Dahl told The Namibian.He added that the opposition party was in arrears with the monthly rent.”I hope they will sort that out,” he said.Asked why the safe was opened by a locksmith instead of getting a key from either Dahl or Gertze, Ulenga said an official handover between the “old and new administration staff” had not taken place yet.”We changed the locks and the alarm code so that not everybody has access to the party office,” Ulenga said yesterday.Some administration staff had not returned to work since the Keetmanshoop congress, he added.Asked if the security measures at the CoD office had to do with the rebel faction, Ulenga denied this.”There is no faction in CoD, there is only one CoD party,” he charged.The disputed National Executive Committee (NEC) also held its first meeting on Saturday.It decided to revive party structures and decided on a 12-month action programme, which includes recruiting new members.It also endorsed a proposal to set up an audit group to investigate the alleged fraudulent elections at Keetmanshoop, which the rebel faction wants nullified.STERN WARNING Meanwhile, Gertze has issued a stern warning to Ulenga.It follows an interview in a State-owned newspaper last week, in which Ulenga accused Gertze of bad administration and allegedly causing problems in the party, Gertze urged Ulenga to step down.”All the things that Mr Ulenga has raised under ‘Ulenga speaks his mind’ in New Era do not answer the problem of the party he has held hostage for the past seven years, it does not wash away his acts,” Gertze said in a statement at the end of last week.”Mr Ulenga’s scandals (socially and politically) make him not worthy of my valuable time.I have a whole file of his deeds.Namibia does not deserve a man of his credentials.I am in possession of evidence against the allegations he makes against me, also malicious letters and fraudulent evidence,” Gertze said.”Namibians, and more so CoD members and supporters, must learn more about individual leaders of this country.”Misleading the public through the media would not help, the CoD member noted.”I will not bow in front of dishonesty and dictatorial tendencies,” he said.In the said interview, Ulenga claimed that Gertze had accused him of working with the ruling Swapo party.”It is up to him [Ulenga] to make an honourable exit, as many have now so far urged him to do,” Gertze said.”The unfortunate thing is that either Mr Ulenga suffers a serious amnesic condition or he does not just take responsibility for the things he does.People need answers and as a leader, Mr Ulenga must offer solutions to the problems that face his leadership style.”Defaming Kala Gertze may work for one day until the truth is revealed the next day.Mr Ulenga maintains that there is no problem in the CoD, even as things stand now, but rather Kala Gertze who is a problem,” he noted.”Without revealing counter-evidence against Mr Ulenga’s allegations against me at this stage, I would like to appeal to him not to think that personal defamation against me will solve the problems he knows are as old as the inaugural Congress of 1999,” Gertze said.”I have always stood up against injustice and misrule.Hypocrisy and misleading people are the things I will never tolerate.Gertze was thrown into the dungeons of Lubango in southern Angola by the Swapo security apparatus during the liberation struggle.”It is interesting to note that a leader, upon being asked when problems started with the party he leads, answers that the problem started the day Kala Gertze was elected Secretary General’.It is clear that Ulenga did not vote for me in the 2004 Congress because he knew that I knew what he knew.It simply shows the level and quality of leadership Mr Ulenga is and would provide Namibia with,” Gertze said.I will not bow in front of dishonesty and dictatorial tendencies.CoD member Kala GertzeOn Friday, a locksmith was called to open the office safe, although the owner of the premises had a spare key.Party President Ben Ulenga was “re-elected” under controversial circumstances at an extraordinary CoD congress at Keetmanshoop.About half of the 300 delegates walked out after the election results were announced.Ignatius Shixwameni, who lost to Ulenga by 14 votes in the disputed vote, led the group, which included prominent personalities such as former Secretary General Kala Gertze, former Vice President Nora Schimming-Chase, Moses Katjiuongua and Elma Dienda.”The safe belongs to me as per lease contract with the Congress of Democrats (CoD) since the office rented out to them is my property,” the owner of the premises, Peter Dahl, told The Namibian on Saturday.”They could have phoned me and I would have brought the spare key.”Dahl was also surprised that all door locks had been changed when he arrived at the CoD offices on Friday, alerted by a concerned member.”As the owner I also have a set of spare keys for all doors for that office.If a tenant changes all locks and keys, I need a spare set of the new keys and it would have been good if they had notified me,” Dahl told The Namibian.He added that the opposition party was in arrears with the monthly rent.”I hope they will sort that out,” he said.Asked why the safe was opened by a locksmith instead of getting a key from either Dahl or Gertze, Ulenga said an official handover between the “old and new administration staff” had not taken place yet.”We changed the locks and the alarm code so that not everybody has access to the party office,” Ulenga said yesterday.Some administration staff had not returned to work since the Keetmanshoop congress, he added.Asked if the security measures at the CoD office had to do with the rebel faction, Ulenga denied this.”There is no faction in CoD, there is only one CoD party,” he charged.The disputed National Executive Committee (NEC) also held its first meeting on Saturday.It decided to revive party structures and decided on a 12-month action programme, which includes recruiting new members.It also endorsed a proposal to set up an audit group to investigate the alleged fraudulent elections at Keetmanshoop, which the rebel faction wants nullified. STERN WARNING Meanwhile, Gertze has issued a stern warning to Ulenga.It follows an interview in a State-owned newspaper last week, in which Ulenga accused Gertze of bad administration and allegedly causing problems in the party, Gertze urged Ulenga to step down.”All the things that Mr Ulenga has raised under ‘Ulenga speaks his mind’ in New Era do not answer the problem of the party he has held hostage for the past seven years, it does not wash away his acts,” Gertze said in a statement at the end of last week.”Mr Ulenga’s scandals (socially and politically) make him not worthy of my valuable time.I have a whole file of his deeds.Namibia does not deserve a man of his credentials.I am in possession of evidence against the allegations he makes against me, also malicious letters and fraudulent evidence,” Gertze said.”Namibians, and more so CoD members and supporters, must learn more about individual leaders of this country.”Misleading the public through the media would not help, the CoD member noted.”I will not bow in front of dishonesty and dictatorial tendencies,” he said.In the said interview, Ulenga claimed that Gertze had accused him of working with the ruling Swapo party.”It is up to him [Ulenga] to make an honourable exit, as many have now so far urged him to do,” Gertze said.”The unfortunate thing is that either Mr Ulenga suffers a serious amnesic condition or he does not just take responsibility for the things he does.People need answers and as a leader, Mr Ulenga must offer solutions to the problems that face his leadership style.”Defaming Kala Gertze may work for one day until the truth is revealed the next day.Mr Ulenga maintains that there is no problem in the CoD, even as things stand now, but rather Kala Gertze who is a problem,” he noted.”Without revealing counter-evidence against Mr Ulenga’s allegations against me at this stage, I would like to appeal to him not to think that personal defamation against me will solve the problems he knows are as old as the inaugural Congress of 1999,” Gertze said.”I have always stood up against injustice and misrule.Hypocrisy and misleading people are the things I will never tolerate.Gertze was thrown into the dungeons of Lubango in southern Angola by the Swapo security apparatus during the liberation struggle.”It is interesting to note that a leader, upon being asked when problems started with the party he leads, answers that the problem started the day Kala Gertze was elected Secretary General’.It is clear that Ulenga did not vote for me in the 2004 Congress because he knew that I knew what he knew.It simply shows the level and quality of leadership Mr Ulenga is and would provide Namibia with,” Gertze said.I will not bow in front of dishonesty and dictatorial tendencies.CoD member Kala Gertze