Unam academics found guilty

THE University of Namibia has given a final warning to two senior academics holding political office in Swanu.

A disciplinary committee found senior lecturers Usutuaije Maamberua and Dr Tangeni Iijambo guilty and gave them a final warning giving them an option to resign or face the axe. Maamberua is Swanu president while Iijambo is the Secretary General of the party.They were charged with contravening the Unam policy which bars staff from holding political office and addressing party gatherings.Their lawyer Jan Hendrik Wessels of the law firm Stern and Barnard said his clients will appeal against the verdict and have also decided to approach the High Court to challenge the legality of the policy used to discipline them.The two were found guilty of having transgressed their conditions of employment by addressing public rallies of Swanu and twice failing to resign when instructed to do so.Wessels argued that the matter was complicated, with complex arguments in respect of certain issues.They want to approach the High Court “for a declaratory order as to the constitutionality of the terms and conditions of employment” of Maamberua and Iijambo.Wessels said the application to the High Court would be made “as soon as possible”.Last year Unam informed some staff members who held party political office that they were in contravention of Unam employment policy.Unam’s actions came under fire from the two unions representing staff at the higher learning institution, the Namibia Public Workers’ Union (Napwu) and the Namibia National Teachers’ Union (Nantu), who called on the institution to drop the charges against the two academics.They said political association was entrenched in the Constitution as a basic human right to freedom of association and expression, and questioned the legality of Unam’s policy barring staff members from holding political office.Five days after their election as party office bearers, Maamberua and Iijambo received letters informing them that they could not be in active politics while working there.They refused to respond positively on several follow up letters by Unam and were eventually hauled before a disciplinary committee.Maamberua is Swanu president while Iijambo is the Secretary General of the party.They were charged with contravening the Unam policy which bars staff from holding political office and addressing party gatherings.Their lawyer Jan Hendrik Wessels of the law firm Stern and Barnard said his clients will appeal against the verdict and have also decided to approach the High Court to challenge the legality of the policy used to discipline them.The two were found guilty of having transgressed their conditions of employment by addressing public rallies of Swanu and twice failing to resign when instructed to do so.Wessels argued that the matter was complicated, with complex arguments in respect of certain issues.They want to approach the High Court “for a declaratory order as to the constitutionality of the terms and conditions of employment” of Maamberua and Iijambo.Wessels said the application to the High Court would be made “as soon as possible”.Last year Unam informed some staff members who held party political office that they were in contravention of Unam employment policy.Unam’s actions came under fire from the two unions representing staff at the higher learning institution, the Namibia Public Workers’ Union (Napwu) and the Namibia National Teachers’ Union (Nantu), who called on the institution to drop the charges against the two academics.They said political association was entrenched in the Constitution as a basic human right to freedom of association and expression, and questioned the legality of Unam’s policy barring staff members from holding political office.Five days after their election as party office bearers, Maamberua and Iijambo received letters informing them that they could not be in active politics while working there.They refused to respond positively on several follow up letters by Unam and were eventually hauled before a disciplinary committee.