Used Govt car disrespects the masses – Nashinge

Official opposition leader Imms Nashinge has rejected a temporary government vehicle for his use, citing disrespect and procurement delays as he awaits a new fleet alongside other officials.

The Independent Patriots for Change leader says he understands that a new government fleet was on its way last year.

However, when he learnt that officials below his rank have received new vehicles, he saw it as a clear sign of disrespect of an office “which belongs to the masses”.

Nashinge made these comments in an interview with the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) on Wednesday.

This was in response to minister of works and transport Veikko Nekundi saying he had been informed that the IPC parliamentarian has refused his assigned car.

“Why should I get a temporary car that was used by the honourable minister if this car was for this office for the next five years?

“The commitment made by the ministry was that we must wait – the car allocated to this office is coming. That was last year. Why temporary arrangements and used cars?

“Yet you have officials that are below the leader of the official opposition with new cars,” Nashinge told NBC. He stressed that the office belongs to the people and not to him, and therefore deserves “the same respect and priority as other offices”.

Nashinge described the minister’s remarks on his refusal as unfair, as he (Nashinge) has received no communication from the minister or ministry on the way forward.

The IPC leader denied rejecting the assigned car, saying he merely questioned the temporary arrangement officials were told to wait for the budget before procurement could start.

Ministry acting head of government garages Sam Kadhikwa says efforts have been made to assign a car to Nashinge temporarily while waiting for the new fleet, of which some vehicles are from Brazil and Dubai.

“When Nashinge inquired about his assigned car, he was informed all vehicles had been allocated and the remaining ones had been used before.

“Those included some Fortuners we bought in 2024 and some black Prados in 2025. One of them was retained by home affairs minister Lucia Iipumbu.

“It was still new in a way as it has only 11 800km and is still in good shape. We asked him to take this Prados, but he refused it. I then instructed our people to get one of the Fortuner, clocking 89 000km, but he refused.

“Then I again instructed that he be given one of the Prados with 811 000km, but he refused saying he wants a brand new car,” Kadhikwa says.

When they met last year, Kadhikwa informed Nashinge that the government is waiting for six to seven cars, he says, but since some Toyota Prados in South Africa are not available as they are not manufactured in southern Africa, it takes time.

Kadhikwa says he had assured Nashinge that this would be prioritised.

He says the leader of the official opposition is currently using a car assigned to him by the parliament, and would be allocated a new car once the new fleet arrives.

Kadhikwa cites budget constraints hampering procurement.

He says the ministry serves everyone, not Swapo only, and would not deny Nashinge what is rightfully his as gazetted.

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