Union to stay in bed with the ruling party

THE leadership of the National Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW) says the umbrella union body will remain affiliated to Swapo for life, since it was established by the party.

NUNW President Alpheus Muheua said they see nothing wrong with their affiliation to Swapo despite claims by some that workers have never relied on the union to achieve better working conditions for them. In fact, he claimed, disgruntled former union leaders, some of them past champions of the affiliation, were now trying to plant seeds of disunity and confusion to destabilise and ultimately destroy the NUNW.”Some of them, out of political desperation, are even colluding with some of the opposition parties as well as some of their cronies in some parastatals, to wage a war against the workers of this country.We are watching them,” Muheua said.However, he refused to name the “ex-comrades” who he charged were at war with both Swapo and NUNW.He said the unnamed former union leaders realised that their political aspirations through Swapo were dashed and they were now naively trying to bounce back, “yet at their own peril”.Muheua was elected at the last controversial NUNW congress which ousted former President Risto Kapenda and Secretary General Peter Naholo.Both were seen as allies of former Foreign Minister Hidipo Hamutenya, who challenged for the presidential nomination but was sacked by former President Sam Nujoma days before the party decided on its candidate.Muheua was among union leaders who campaigned for Nujoma’s favourite candidate – current President Hifikepunye Pohamba.Relations in the union and Swapo have never recovered from the fallout of the presidential race.Muheua said alleged attempts by former union leaders to destroy the NUNW were “open secrets”, as some even hosted rival unions in the umbrella organisation’s offices as part of their long-term political campaign.”Why is it mind-boggling that only those unions that are affiliated to the NUNW are the strongest and why those prophets of doom are apparently so concerned today about our affiliation to the Swapo Party if we have always been affiliated, even when they were leading the NUNW?” said Muheua.Those opposed to the affiliation accuse the federation of sacrificing workers’ interests for the sake of being “in bed” with the ruling party.They claim that the affiliation holds no tangible benefits for union members.However, Muheua said the recent NUNW congress reiterated the call to remain affiliated to the ruling party and it would stay like that “now and in the foreseeable future”.In fact, he claimed, disgruntled former union leaders, some of them past champions of the affiliation, were now trying to plant seeds of disunity and confusion to destabilise and ultimately destroy the NUNW.”Some of them, out of political desperation, are even colluding with some of the opposition parties as well as some of their cronies in some parastatals, to wage a war against the workers of this country.We are watching them,” Muheua said.However, he refused to name the “ex-comrades” who he charged were at war with both Swapo and NUNW.He said the unnamed former union leaders realised that their political aspirations through Swapo were dashed and they were now naively trying to bounce back, “yet at their own peril”.Muheua was elected at the last controversial NUNW congress which ousted former President Risto Kapenda and Secretary General Peter Naholo.Both were seen as allies of former Foreign Minister Hidipo Hamutenya, who challenged for the presidential nomination but was sacked by former President Sam Nujoma days before the party decided on its candidate.Muheua was among union leaders who campaigned for Nujoma’s favourite candidate – current President Hifikepunye Pohamba.Relations in the union and Swapo have never recovered from the fallout of the presidential race.Muheua said alleged attempts by former union leaders to destroy the NUNW were “open secrets”, as some even hosted rival unions in the umbrella organisation’s offices as part of their long-term political campaign.”Why is it mind-boggling that only those unions that are affiliated to the NUNW are the strongest and why those prophets of doom are apparently so concerned today about our affiliation to the Swapo Party if we have always been affiliated, even when they were leading the NUNW?” said Muheua.Those opposed to the affiliation accuse the federation of sacrificing workers’ interests for the sake of being “in bed” with the ruling party.They claim that the affiliation holds no tangible benefits for union members.However, Muheua said the recent NUNW congress reiterated the call to remain affiliated to the ruling party and it would stay like that “now and in the foreseeable future”.