Uncertainty after dismissals

THE sacking of Foreign Minister Hidipo Hamutenya and his deputy, Kaire Mbuende, has set Namibia on an entirely uncertain future, according to opposition parties and political analysts.

The analysts and politicians who spoke The Namibian yesterday indicated that unless “convincing” reasons were giving before Swapo’s crucial extraordinary congress on Friday, and depending on how those affected and their supporters take it, the move could spell serious consequences for the country’s stability. They said that although they expected drama to unfold ahead of the congress , the firing of the two minister has “gone a bit too far.””This (the sacking) may lead to the first brick being laid on the way towards the destruction of Namibia,” President of the Congress of Democrats, Ben Ulenga, said.”I hope it does not lead to the destabilisation of the country.”The DTA’s Johan de Waal said while his party was not in the position to make an informed comment before it gets more details on the dismissals, it expected such moves to be done through Cabinet reshuffles.”The hiring and firing of people just like that is not good for stability, we would have wanted to see it done through a Cabinet reshuffle,” De Waal said A shocked political analyst Joseph Diescho remarked: “To see the ruling party at odds with itself is not good for democracy, is not good for the country’s stability.”Although, President Sam Nujoma did not give reasons for firing the two, Diescho linked the decision to the current acrimonious Swapo presidential campaigns.He asserted that he had hoped to see Nujoma and Hamutenya solving “their differences in a better way”.”If Nujoma now becomes punitive towards his ministers who might be presidents in future, then unfortunately he might end up not being the person we want him to be when he steps down,” The South African-based Namibian analyst said.Reacting to suggestions that Hamutenya and his followers had been conducting clandestine political activities to woo support ahead of the congress, Diescho said that was what electioneering was all about.”It (electioneering) is about lobby people over to your side, thus the name of the game you do it clandestinely… even the President himself is involved in secretly lobbying people to his side,” he added.Fanuel Kaapama from the University of Namibia’s Department of Political and Administrative Studies described the dismissal of the ministers as one of Nujoma’s “usual tactics at crucial moments”.He said from a democratic point of view it raises a lot of questions about the level political tolerance in Namibia.”The President is now drawing the battle lines clear, and these lines will be more defined depending on how those affected receive the decision,” he said.The Director of the National Society for Human Rights (NSHR), Phil ya Nangolo, said the move was a setback to Swapo’s “long-awaited” internal democratisation process and smooth transfer of power from Nujoma.”This dismissal has the potential to severely and further tarnish the good image Namibia has been enjoying in the eyes of the international community,” Ya Nangolo added.The human rights organisation called on Nujoma to publicly explain to the nation the “necessity, expediency and reasons” for the sacking of Hamutenya and Mbuende.They said that although they expected drama to unfold ahead of the congress , the firing of the two minister has “gone a bit too far.””This (the sacking) may lead to the first brick being laid on the way towards the destruction of Namibia,” President of the Congress of Democrats, Ben Ulenga, said.”I hope it does not lead to the destabilisation of the country.”The DTA’s Johan de Waal said while his party was not in the position to make an informed comment before it gets more details on the dismissals, it expected such moves to be done through Cabinet reshuffles.”The hiring and firing of people just like that is not good for stability, we would have wanted to see it done through a Cabinet reshuffle,” De Waal said A shocked political analyst Joseph Diescho remarked: “To see the ruling party at odds with itself is not good for democracy, is not good for the country’s stability.”Although, President Sam Nujoma did not give reasons for firing the two, Diescho linked the decision to the current acrimonious Swapo presidential campaigns.He asserted that he had hoped to see Nujoma and Hamutenya solving “their differences in a better way”.”If Nujoma now becomes punitive towards his ministers who might be presidents in future, then unfortunately he might end up not being the person we want him to be when he steps down,” The South African-based Namibian analyst said.Reacting to suggestions that Hamutenya and his followers had been conducting clandestine political activities to woo support ahead of the congress, Diescho said that was what electioneering was all about.”It (electioneering) is about lobby people over to your side, thus the name of the game you do it clandestinely… even the President himself is involved in secretly lobbying people to his side,” he added.Fanuel Kaapama from the University of Namibia’s Department of Political and Administrative Studies described the dismissal of the ministers as one of Nujoma’s “usual tactics at crucial moments”.He said from a democratic point of view it raises a lot of questions about the level political tolerance in Namibia.”The President is now drawing the battle lines clear, and these lines will be more defined depending on how those affected receive the decision,” he said.The Director of the National Society for Human Rights (NSHR), Phil ya Nangolo, said the move was a setback to Swapo’s “long-awaited” internal democratisation process and smooth transfer of power from Nujoma.”This dismissal has the potential to severely and further tarnish the good image Namibia has been enjoying in the eyes of the international community,” Ya Nangolo added.The human rights organisation called on Nujoma to publicly explain to the nation the “necessity, expediency and reasons” for the sacking of Hamutenya and Mbuende.