Namibia: PM engages in corrupt practices, says NSHR

April 26 2004
PRESS RELEASE

PRIME MINISTER & MINISTER ENGAGE IN CORRUPT CONDUCT

As a sui generis anti-corruption agency one of whose objectives is to actively promote accountable and transparent public governance, NSHR strongly condemns several incidents of political corruption and bribery as well as intimidation over the last eight days. Pre-polling irregularities, vote buying, influencing peddling and smear tactics as well as misuse of public funds characterize such incidents.

In one of the two most serious incidents of political corruption in question involved Prime Minister Theo-Ben Gurirab MP who, over the weekend, made himself liable to accusations of pre-polling irregularities, vote buying, influencing peddling or unfair political practices and misuse of public funds. Addressing a crowd of flood victims at Lussese village, some 70 kilometers northeast of Katima Mulilo, capital of the Caprivi Region, on April 24 2004 Gurirab inter alia stated:

“Your government cares and we are ready to do more. We know that after the water has dried, more challenges will come. So we are ready and prepared. What ever is available for you to benefit from, you will be provided with … Keep trust in your government, and when the time to vote comes, vote for SWAPO”.

As an MP and head of the public service traveling at public expense, Gurirab should be reminded not only of his moral or ethical but also his constitutional obligation to treat all residents of this country fairly irrespective of their political affiliation. He and other MPs must be representative of all the people of this country and not only those who politically support him or his party. Moreover, in terms of Article 45 of the Namibian Constitution, MPs “shall be representative of all the people and shall in the performance of their duties be guided by the objectives of this Constitution, by the public interest and their conscience”.

“After making such unethical and morally and politically corrupt pronouncements, did Prime Minister Gurirab’s conscience serve him well misusing public funds to literally urge flood victims to for vote for his party while traveling at the expense of everybody, including members of the Opposition political parties or non-partisan organizations? Therefore one wonders whether the real motive for his flying to Caprivi was to assist such victims or just to campaign for his party. His message could be summed as telling the said victims that the Government will assist them even more after and if they vote for SWAPO. As far as we are concerned the term ‘public funds’ should not be limited to money, but anything of value belonging to the State or agency thereof, such as aircraft, motor vehicles and remunerated time as well as official accommodation and catering”, NSHR executive director Phil ya Nangoloh argued this morning.

It must be pointed out that Lussese village is located in the communal area of the traditionally SWAPO-supporting tribe—the Masubia—the second largest in the disputed Caprivi Region. Whereas, residents in the communal areas of the traditionally Opposition-supporting tribe—the Mafwe---have been complaining since 1992 about lack of water but to no avail.

“Are these Mafwe villages being systematically marginalized as an official vendetta and retribution for their alleged secessionist ambitions? Or is it perhaps because the overwhelming majority of those being persecuted as ‘Caprivi secessionists’ are members of this tribe?” said a Windhoek-based human rights defender who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Mafwe villages, such as Masokotwane, Lusu, Kanono, Chinchimane, Linyanti and Kapani, to mention just a few, lack water.

“A fundamental concept of this nation's democratic electoral process is that the State must not take sides in election contests or bestow unfair advantage on one of several competing factions. One of the principal dangers lays in the possibility that the holders of State authority use official power improperly to perpetuate themselves, or their allies, in office. This selective and corrupt use of public funds in partisan election campaigns raises the specter of improper distortion of Namibia’s democratic electoral process. Unethical campaign behavior of the parties, candidates and their supporters has a direct impact on the integrity of the entire electoral process”, said NSHR public relations officer Dorkas Nangolo-Phillemon.

In a similar but separate incident on April 17 2004 at the SWAPO office at Kandjengedi Township in Oshakati, Minister without Portfolio Dr. Ernest Tjiriange warned SWAPO-supporters against “infiltration by the Opposition” parties and threatened that SWAPO was “unbeatable because 99 percent of the members of the Namibian Defense Force, Police Force and National Central Intelligence Service Agency are members of SWAPO’s former army, the People’s Liberation Army of Namibia. We know what goes on under each bed in this country”, said Tjiriange.

“Similarly Namibian security forces are paid by taxpayer’s money. Everyone in this country pays tax to the State—whether or not a SWAPO member. Though not surprising, it is, nevertheless, regrettable to hear Tjiriange claiming that such security forces are tools of at the disposal of the SWAPO party to intimidate the Opposition or other citizens with different viewpoints”, said NSHR Head Paralegal Officer Festus Petrus.

Therefore, NSHR is calling upon Prime Minister Gurirab and other Government officials to refrain from deliberate distortion of the difference between the Government, on the one side, and the SWAPO party, on the other. NSHR has found that such distortion, usually transmitted through public statements like “SWAPO Government has does this or that”, constitutes the principal reason of citizens’ inability to make a clear difference between SWAPO and the Government.

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