Namibian Sun

England Premier League side Wolverhampton Wanderers have launched a series of projects aimed at helping Chinese football develop at grassroots level, said Wolves' academy manager Scott Sellars.

“Our Chinese owner Fosun International wants to give something back to Chinese football. Helping young Chinese players develop is a big goal,” said Sellars, whose academy has recruited four players of Chinese origin in the last 12 months.

'Dongda' He Zhenyu (18) joined the Wolves' academy on a scholarship last year and became the first Chinese footballer to play for the English club. Last month, Dongda played for China's under-18 national team as a starting striker in the 2019 Panda Cup international youth tournament. Playing at home for the first time since his family moved to England in 2012, Dongda missed an open goal and was criticised by some Chinese fans.

“If you want to be a professional player, things can't be perfect all the time,” reassured Sellars. “You will make mistakes and miss chances. The key is how to react to it. Dongda has the confidence to get back. He has the potential to be a good player.”

Sellars added: “Our job is to help [the four Chinese players] as much as we can. The dream is to get them into the Premier League and develop football in China.”

Wolves also signed a cooperation agreement with China's ministry of education last Wednesday, which will see up to five elite Uefa coaches working at Chinese campuses in 2019.

“We want to help China improve coaching in schools, and hopefully that can have a positive effect on the players in China,” said Sellars.

NAMPA/XINHUA

Hockey makes giant stridesDevelopment visible in regional structures The exhibition matches showcased the very best of Namibian hockey and proved that the sport is alive and well.

The Bank Windhoek national indoor hockey league hosted three exhibition matches over the weekend at the Windhoek Showgrounds.

The matches featured the best men's indoor league players from the Khomas and Erongo regions.

A first of its kind, the aim of the exhibition was to showcase the level of Namibian hockey and its development. The players took the matches seriously and entertained the crowd with top-class hockey skills and tricks to the appreciation of the spectators.

The Khomas All Stars and Erongo regional men's indoor hockey teams faced each other in the first exhibition match of the day.

The Khomas All Stars, made up of players from the national team, started the match on a high note and inflicted a 5-1 defeat on the Erongo side.

The second match, between the Khomas All Stars and Khomas Futures, had the spectators on their feet due to the high-paced play. The thrilling match ended in a 4-3 win for the Khomas All Stars who looked pleased to hear the final whistle. Khomas Futures, made up of upcoming hockey stars, went on to win their last match of the day, as they swept aside the Erongo regional team 5-1.

“Although the coastal team lost all their fixtures, the end result shows that there is improvement in hockey at the coast. We are proud of them,” said Namibia Hockey Union (NHU) president Marc Nel.

Nel added that the NHU intends to rollout the exhibition matches every end of the season and grow the game in terms of regional participation, which will also include a women's league.

“Congratulations to the NHU for putting up yet another exciting initiative. The standard of hockey has improved tremendously and we are proud to have been a part of the incredible journey of this sport in Namibia,” said Bank Windhoek head of corporate affairs Hayley Allen.

At the end of the exhibition tournament, spectators gave a standing ovation to all the hockey players for putting in great performances.

Next on the hockey calendar is the much-anticipated Bank Windhoek national outdoor hockey league, scheduled to kick off in early July.

SPORTS REPORTER

Omapopyo gaMbumba inaga pandikaKwa pulwa esimaneko lyaakiintu naalumentu shi thike pamwe Omupeha presidende Nangolo Mbumba okwa nyanwa omolwa omapopyo getongolo lyaakiintu ngoka a ningi pethimbo lyoshigongi shomahwahwameko shoSwapo, shoka sha ningwa mOsoondaha mOndangwa.

Mbumba ngoka a li omupopi a simana pethimbo lyoshigongi shoka sha ningwa, okwa popi kombinga yomuulikwa hogololwa iithikamena,

Angelina Immanuel ta lombwele aayambidhidhi yoSwapo kutya: “Itashi ti molwaashoka owu na ondjelo ombwaanawa nena oto vulu okukutha ombinga momahogololo.”

Omunongononi gwopolotika, Graham Hopwood okwa popi kutya osha ninga omukalondjiigilile kuMbumba okulongitha iitya nomatumbulo ngoka itaga hokitha moshigwana, ta popi kutya Mbumba ngiika okuli omukomeho nomukuluntu moSwapo naashoka osho tashi etitha a vule okukala iha gunwa omolwa omapopyo ge.

Omuhwahwameki gwiikumungu ya guma aanyasha, Job Amupanda okwa popi kutya omatumbulo ngoka ga ningwa kuamushanga nale gwongundu yoSwapo oga nuninwa Immanuel. “Moshilongo moka aakiintu taya ningilwa omiyonena shoka osho omunamivo gweni 78 omupeha presidende ta tuku Angelina Immanuel. Ongiini omupeha presidende gwoshilongp tuula pashigwana omunamimvo 27 nomalaka geli ngaaka? Ano otuli moshigwana shi li ngiini moka omunamimvo 78 ta tala kondjelo yomunamimvo 27 , ngoka omushona na ota vulu okukala omutekulu gwe? Otashi ehameke nokuuvitha nayi. Onda sa ohoni ngame onga omulumentu,” Amupanda a popi.

Legal Assistance Centre (LAC) nayo oya popi kutya omapopyo ngoka otaga tongola aakiintu na kage li mondjila.

“Aaleli ayehe yopolotika oya pumbwa okwiihumbatela aakiintu naalumentu nesimaneko lya faathana nokuyanda okupopya omalaka ngoka taga ulike kutya ondjelo yomuntu nenge eholokepo lye olyo lya simana uuna tayi mombelewa.”

Sho a ningilwa omapulo, amushanga gwoSwapo, Sophia Shaningwa okwa popi kutya ye na ethiwe, ta gwedhwa po kutya ita vulu okutya sha molwaashoka kali ko koshigongi shoka. Immanuel pamwe nayakwawo yane otaya kutha ombinga methigathano lyomahogololo guukansela mOndangwa Urban, ngoka taga kalako mOlyomakaya twa taaalela. Swapo ota ka lelwapo kumayola nale gwondoolopa yaNdangwa, Leonard Negonga, APP okwa hogolola Asser Vincent omanga PDM a hogolola, Johannes Martin, nongundu yoCoD oya hogolola, Mandume Andreas Tuhafeni.

JEMIMA BEUKES

Epangelo lyapopile Nangolo

Oolugodhi olululu kombinga yaangoka ta ningi omukwaniilwa gwaNdonga olwa hulu mOmaandaha, sho epangelo lya popile Fillemon Shuumbwa Nangolo a ninge omukwaniilwa omuti 19, gwelelo lyaNdonga.

Nangolo okwa yi pehaala lyomukwaniilwa nale Immanuel Kauluma Elifas, ngoka a hulitha muMaalitsa nuumvo.

Nangolo (44) okwa kala nale a hogololwa kuElifas onga omulanduli gwe momvula yo 2002, ihe nonando ongaaka ofamili yAawa oya kala tayi kondjithathana mehogololo ndyoka lya ningwa, nongundu yimwe oya kala yahala Konis Kalenga, oye a ninge omukwaniilwa.

Ominista yOmalelo gOondoolopa nIitopolwa Peya Mushelenga okwa popi kutya eindilo lyaKalenga opo a ninge omukwaniilwa gwaNdonga inali pita omulandu ngoka hagu longithwa uuna taku talika komaindilo ngoka.

Momasiku 14 gaApilili okwa ningwa elangeko lyopamuthigululwakalo ndyoka lya ningilwa Nangolo onga omukwaniilwa omupe gwaNdonga, lya ningilwa pombala ye mOnambango omanga ongundu yimwe yofamili yaakwaniilwa ya langele Kalenga.

“Oshili kutya onda zimine eindilo lyaNangolo. Oto vulu owala okukala nomukwaniilwa gumwe na onda zimine owala omukwaniilwa gumwe. Ompango oya gandja kutya omuningi gweindilo okwa pumbwa okupita onkatu yontumba meuliko lye, nasho omaindilo ngoka ga thiki kungame, lyaNangolo olyo lya zimo,” Mushelenga a popi.

Omalongekidho ogeli metifa opo ku ningwe elangeko koshipundi pambelelwa lyaNangolo ndyoka tali ningilwa mOnambango momasiku 29 gaJuni.

Pethimbo onkundana ndjika ya nyanyangithwa, inaku vula okumonika gumwe gwomaakokele mofamili yaakwaniilwa, Selma Gwanandjokwe Sheyavali, opo a tye sha sho e li gumwe gwomwaamboka taya popile Kalenga.

Aaleli yelelo lyaNdonga mboka ya tambulwapo papangelo, na oyendji otaya popile Nangolo, inaya vula woo okumonika molwaashoka oya li moshigongi.

ILENI NANDJATO

Taku gongelwa oshimaliwa shokutunga omuhandjo gwoskola mOmungwelume

Ngoloneya gwoshitopolwa shaHangwena Usko Nghaamwa okwa gandja oodhopi dhi li po 58 000, dhoka dha gandjwa omagano dha nuninwa okutameka okutungitha omuhandjo gwaanaskola mOmungweume.

Sha landula olopota yoshikundaneki muMaalitsa nuumvo, kutya ompumbwe yomuhandjo gwoskola mosekundoskola mOmungwelume oya etitha aanaskola ya kale yootekathana momudhingoloko ngoka, AaNamibia yamwe oya tokola okugandja omayambidhidho opo aanaskola mboka ya vule okutungilwa omuhandjo.

Momasiku 22 gaJuni nuumvo melongelokumwe nOmbelewa yOshitopolwa shaHangwena, Ngoloneya Nghaamwa otaka kwatelwa komeho oshituthi showina, shoka sha nuninwa okugongela iiyemo yokutunga omuhandjo. Kuume koskola ndjoka, Kleopas Kapweya okwa lombwele oshifokundaneki shoNamibian Sun mehuliloshiwike kutya konima sho kwa pitithwa olopota yonkalo moka mu na aanaskola oya tameke taya mono omayambidhidho okuza koohandimwe, opo ku vule okutungwa omuhandjo gwoskola. Ehangano inali hololwa, okupitila mombelewa yaNghaamwa olya gandja oodhoi dhili po 58 000 omanga Omukwaniilwa gwUukwanyama, Martha Mwadinomho waKristian yaNelumbu naye a holola ohokwe ye okuyambidhidha metungo lyomuhandjo gwoskola.

“Konima yolopota ndjoka otwa dhengelwa oongodhi kaantu mboka yahala okukwathela metungo lyomuhandjo. Ngoloneya okwa gandja nale oodhopi ndhoka dha gandjwa oshowo ongombe ndjoka ye mwene a gandja. Omukwaniilwa naye okwa holola ohokwe ye mokuyambidhidhwa. Otatu indile kehe gumwe ngoka e na ohokwe mokuyambidhidha metungo lyomuhandjo gwoskola yaMungwelume opo ya kale poshituthi shoka tashi ka ningwa momasiku 22 gaJune nenge ya ninge ekwatathano natse,” Kapweya a popi.

Kapweya okwa popi mehuliloshiwike kutya, okwa gandja po oshitopolwa shimwe shepya lye oomvula dha piti opo ku vule okutungwa omuhandjo gwoskola ngoka inagu tungwa natango.

“Omudhingoloko gwaMungwelume kagu shi ehala ewanawa kaanaskola ya kale kuyoyene. Aanona ohaya zi komahala ga yooloka nokuya koskola ndjoka kayi na omuhandjo. Ngashiingeyi otaya hiila nokuza pamwe molukanda na inatu nyanyukilwa omaihumbato gawo.”

Omukuluntuskola George Nanghanda okwa koleke kutya Nghaamwa okwa gandja koskola oodhopi dhili po 58 000 ndhoka a popi kutya odha pewa ombelewa ye kehangano lyontumba.

Nanghanda okwa popi kutya aantseyinawa otaya popi kutya oodhopi ndhoka odhindji na otadhi kayambidhidha noonkondo metungo ndyoka.

“Otwa pandula kwaashoka ngoloneya ta ningi. Otatu indile owala aantu mboka ye na ohokwe mokuyambidhidha ya yambidhidhe oonkambadhala ndhoka tadhi ningwa kungoloneya opo ku vule okutungilwa omuhandjo oskola yetu.”

Sho a ningilwa omapulo, Nghaamwa okwa popi utya nakugandja oodhopi ndhoka otaka tseyitha pethimbo lyoshituuthi shegongelo lyiimaliwa shoka tashi ningwa.

Osekundoskola yaMungwelume kayi na omuhandjo naanaskola ya za koombinga noombinga ohaya hiila momudhingoloko gwaMungwelume.

Konyala aanaskola ye li pe 118 yondondo onti 10, 11 no 12 ohaya zi mehala lyepangelp ndyoka lya li lya landwa kelelo lyoshitopowa shaHangwena, sha landula elombwelo lya zi kuNghaamwa.

Chief regional officer gwoshitopolwa shaHangwena, Fillipus Shilongo okwa pula Omukomeho gwElongolo mOshitopolwa shaHangwena opo a kongele ehala lyokuza aanona mboka omanga inaya kuthwa mo mehala moka haya zi ngaashiingeyi.

Shilongo okwa popi kutya ehala ndyoka lya landwa kepangelo koshimaliwa shoomiliyona 6, inali landwa opo li longithwe onga omuhandjo gwoskola.

Kapweya okwa popi kutya aavali oya tuma aanona yawo koskola ihe koskola oyeli ko yootekathana taya zi pamwe onga aasamane naakulukadhi, na kape na ngoka ta kondolola aanona mboka molwaashoka ihaya zi moskola. Aanona mboka yamwe ngaashi yondondo onti 10, oya za komahala gokokule ngaashi Okongo, Oshikunde, Epembe, Omundaungilo, Omauni oshowo Ekoka.

Game of thrones: Kalenga fights onThreatens legal action The fight for the Ondonga throne is far from over.

Konis Eino Kalenga is threatening to take urban and rural development minister Peya Mushelenga and Oshana governor Elia Irimari to court, claiming they were biased in favour of Fillemon Shuumbwa Nangolo, who government has backed as the next Ondonga king.

Mushelenga announced on Monday that government had recognised Nangolo as the designated king, ahead of Kalenga, who had also laid claim to the throne.

Both Nangolo and Kalenga applied to the ministry to be designated as the successor to the late Omukwaniilwa Immanuel Kauluma Elifas, who died in March.

Mushelenga, however, said Kalenga's application did not pass the verification process.

Kalenga, through his lawyer Elia Shikongo from Shikongo Law Chambers, contends that Mushelenga’s decision is unlawful and invalid.

He is accusing Mushelenga and Irimari of bias in terms of the verification process and says the minister was provided the wrong information by the governor.

Kalenga also said they did not get any response from Mushelenga.

“Our instructions are that you were not in a position to act fairly and reasonably in the fulfilment of your administrative function in that you were not furnished with the adequate information to make an informed decision as to which application to approve. We refer specifically to the failure by the governor of Oshana to verify the application submitted in respect of Mr Kalenga,” Shikongo said in a letter to Mushelenga.

“Our instructions are further that due to the failure by the governor to duly verify the application of Kalenga as contemplated in regulation 2, and forward same to you, you based your decision on information which was incomplete and inadequate. We record that you were fully appraised of the governor’s failure in our letter of 30 April already.”

Both applications were done through Irimari, who did the preliminary verifications and made the submissions to Mushelenga.

Irimari told Namibian Sun his duty in the process was only to verify if they (Nangolo and Kalenga) had met the basic requirements.

“My role was just to verify whether the applications have met all the requirements, how many people are in Ondonga, whether the signatures are authentic and of right people, how many gazetted leaders there are, how far the legal battle is and that is all I did,” said Irimari.

Kalenga is now calling on Mushelenga to review his decision.

“You are accordingly required to furnish us a written assurance before the close of business tomorrow that your unlawful and invalid decision to approve the application in respect of Nangolo will not be implemented and have no force or effect until the finalisation of the review application.

“Should we not receive the written assurance as requested, we hold instruction to bring the review application on an urgent basis, together with an urgent interdict to interdict the implementation of your decision, in which case we shall seek a cost order against you as well as the governor of Oshana,” threatened Shikongo.

Acting chairperson of the Ondonga Traditional Authority, Vilho Kamanya, who is in Nangolo's faction, told Namibian Sun Mushelenga’s decision to recognise Nangolo as the 19th Ondonga king means the kingship battle has ended.

ILENI NANDJATO

High Court overturns airport tender

JEMIMA BEUKES

The High Court has cancelled a contract awarded to China State Engineering Construction Corporation to upgrade Ondangwa Airport at a cost of N$211 million.

The contract had been awarded by the former board of directors of the Namibia Airports Company.

Judge Thomas Masuku said on Friday that the tender amount had ballooned from N$169 million to N$211 million.

“This astronomic increase, remarkably, took place over a period of nine weeks,” he pointed out.

Judge Masuku said it seemed apparent that the board “did not properly apply their minds to the correct facts”.

It was also disconcerting that the decision to award the tender was made at the board’s last meeting, where they seemed intent on leaving behind a legacy, he said.

“The fact that the tender increased astronomically by N$43 million, with the board being hoodwinked by Silombela into believing that the increase was a mere 1.5% escalation when it was actually 26%, is a hallmark of illegal conduct on the part Silombela and a failure by the board to play its oversight role properly and conscientiously,” Masuku ruled.

Courage Silombela is the NAC’s former department head of engineering and projects.

The judge also questioned the manner in which the NAC had dealt with the two executives behind this tender, Silombela and former NAC CEO Tamer El-Kallawi.

“I do agree that NAC let the [two] off very lightly, especially in light of what was seen as their egregious prejudicial conduct. Why there was a settlement with El-Kallawi simply beats me,” Masuku said.

Masuku ordered China State Engineering Construction Corporation to pay the legal costs of the court case.

China State was appointed in December 2014 to carry out the first phase of an upgrade of the airport, at a cost of N$208 million. Work on that phase was completed in July 2016.

Otjozondjupa buckles under the droughtOver 7 700 livestock lost The picture sketched by the Otjozondjupa Region's governor, Otto Ipinge, is dismal, to say the least.

Some 7 723 livestock were lost between 2018 and 2019 in the Otjozondjupa Region due to the prevailing drought conditions, the region's governor, Otto Ipinge, said during his state of the region address last week.

Ipinge said between October 2018 and March 2019, the large and small livestock in the Okahandja, Okakarara, Tsumkwe and Omatako constituencies died due to drought.

Further elaborating on the statistics, he said the livestock comprised of 4 736 cattle, 1 766 goats,

1 174 sheep, 18 donkeys and 29 horses.

He stated that the region this year experienced delayed, sporadic and extremely poor rainfall, accompanied by extremely high temperatures that intensified the evaporation processes of the little moisture received.

He expressed disappointment at the fact that Otavi and Grootfontein, the perennial producers of fresh and dried grain in the region, failed to produce enough due to the reduced underground water levels and poor rains.

Ipinge said the situation is now worsened by continuous deterioration of grazing in both communal and commercial areas.

The governor, however, thanked the Office of the Prime Minister for allocating Otjozondjupa with a drought relief food consignment for June, which comprised of 3 905 bags (12.5 kilogrammes) of maize meal, 15 620 tins of fish and 3 905 bottles of cooking oil.

Ipinge then warned offices tasked to distribute the food not to keep it in storerooms, but to give it out without delay in all seven constituencies within the region.

President Hage Geingob in May this year declared a state of emergency on the drought situation in the country, and consequently set aside over N$570 to mitigate its effects in the country.

NAMPA

Workshop for farmers held at Epukiro

In an effort to support farmers, the Eastern Epukiro Farmers Association (EEFA) in conjunction with Agribank held a weeklong workshop in the Epukiro constituency in the Omaheke Region.

The workshop which was aimed at training farmers on how they can make the most of seasonal conditions, started on Monday in Otjimanangombe and ended on Friday at Omaueuozonjanda.

In an interview with Nampa, EEFA chairperson Katjinduu Tjahuha said that farmers are faced with many other challenges despite the drought.

“We know that drought has been dominant in our constituency and the farmers need to be guided in many aspects with regard to farming,” he said.

According to Tjahuha, this workshop creates platforms for farmers to engage experts in the field and help in production.

Among the participants was Erika Kazapua from Kalkpan, who expressed satisfaction with the training.

“As a small-stock farmer, I really learned about different injections and the injecting periods. I now know that I must inject my goats and sheep early before they get pregnant to avoid miscarriage,” she explained.

Another participant, Kaijetere Murangi, said that he learned a lot from the workshop, more especially to separate the thin cattle from the fatter ones, when giving them (dry) licks.

Tjahuha concluded that the association will work with a range of partners to provide workshops as part of an ongoing effort as the need arises.

NAMPA

PG decides on mayor

The decision of the prosecutor-general's office on whether Tsumeb mayor Mathews Hangula will be prosecuted or not will be revealed today in the Tsumeb Magistrate's Court.

This is after he crashed his vehicle into a government ambulance in September last year.

Hangula, who was granted bail of N$1 500, is set to face charges of reckless or negligent driving, as well as driving without a driver's licence, if the prosecution goes ahead.

The incident happened on 20 September 2018 when Hangula's Toyota Corolla collided head-on with the ambulance at around 08:00 on the corner of Maria Nehoya and Dr Hage Geingob streets.

The ambulance was on its way to Oshakati from Windhoek.

The occupants of the ambulance - a 53-year-old driver and three passengers aged 24, 71 and 74 - sustained injuries, and were transported to the Tsumeb state hospital at the time.

Hangula, who escaped unhurt, could not produce a valid driver's licence.

He was not arrested at the time, as the police were still investigating the incident.

KENYA KAMBOWE

Rampant robbers target youth

Learners being robbed in taxis, tertiary students being robbed of their valuables at gunpoint, and a lack of police visibility in communities are just some of the issues the African child goes through in Kavango East.

This is according to the Namibia National Students Organisation (Nanso) Kavango East regional executive, which along with various regional youth forums, has welcomed the ongoing crime-prevention activities happening under the banner of Operation Kalahari Desert.

Speaking during at joint media conference ahead of an International Day of the African Child commemoration on Friday, Nanso said African children living a crime-infested society need to be protected.

The main focus of Friday's event, which will take place in the Kavango East regional council auditorium, will be the security of the African child, more particular the girl child who is said to be more vulnerable in a crime-infested society.

Nanso said they support Operation Kalahari Desert due to the fact that it creates a safe environment for learners and students, who have been victims of crime over the years.

“If you look at Namcol students in Rundu, they attend classes up to probably 22:00 or 23:00, and after those classes they have to walk long distances while police officers are seated in their respective offices doing nothing.

“They are supposed to be patrolling that time to ensure that the learners and students reach their respective destinations safely,” Nanso Kavango East regional chairperson Pedro Muyo-yeta said. Nanso vice-president Bernard Kavau, who is the national leader assigned to Kavango East, also attended the media briefing. He said police presence is needed around schools and shopping malls.

“Basically what we are saying is that we are in support of Operation Kalahari Desert and we need more of them (officers) around schools and shopping malls,” Kavau said.

Making reference to what happened to nine-year-old Cheryl Avihe Ujaha, who was abducted in Windhoek last year, before her mutilated body was found days later, Kavau said much more needs to be done to protect the girl child in Namibia.

KENYA KAMBOWE

Nust spat rages onMinister accused of interfering Higher education minister Itah Kandjii-Murangi has been accused of interfering in the constitutional rights of university council members and abusing her powers.

Nust council chairperson Esi Schimming-Chase has hit back at higher education minister Itah Kandjii-Murangi, accusing her of interfering in the constitutional rights of council members and egregiously abusing her powers.

This followed a letter from Kandjii-Murangi on 13 May in which she said it will not be in the best interest of the university if the current council recruits the new vice-chancellor. In a five-page letter, Schimming-Chase responded to the minister, saying her announcement that only external members of the council will be allowed to select the next vice-chancellor violates the Nust Act and statutes, as well as the Public Enterprises Governance Act and good governance .

“That is why I advised in my earlier correspondence to you, that you share your concerns at a properly constituted Nust meeting and allow the council members to deliberate, without interfering in their constitutional rights.

“To suggest that you can direct council members on what to do, or direct council on what to do is an egregious abuse of your powers, and flies in the face of the provisions of the Namibian constitution as the supreme law as well as the Nust Act,” Schimming-Chase said her letter on Monday.

She has also informed the minister that a council resolution to cancel the re-advertisement of the VC position is “legally invalid” and a breach of every notion of good governance. Ironically, the minister is of the view that “it is not good corporate governance for an outgoing council to recruit an incoming CEO”.

The recruitment of the VC has been clouded in secrecy and controversy since it kicked off on 21 September last year when an advertisement was placed in local newspapers. Five candidates were shortlisted for the position - University of Namibia (Unam) academics Frednard Gideon and Erold Naomab (the only Namibians), Nigerian national Abraham Ogwu, Botswana national Otlogetswe Totolo and Turkish national Said Irandoust. The position was again advertised in March, amidst a spat between the council and the higher education minister, who reminded them that their term comes to an end at the end of August and that she is already recruiting their replacements.

JEMIMA BEUKES

Our national embarrassment

Our national airline is once again back in the limelight and hogging the headlines for all the wrong reasons. News first broke on Monday that only one of Air Namibia’s four Airbus A319 aircraft were in operation, with the remaining three seized in South Africa and Cyprus because of unpaid debts. It was reported that three aircraft underwent mandatory maintenance checks in South Africa and Cyprus and were seized there. V5-ANN is currently with South African Airways Technical (SAAT) undergoing a scheduled maintenance check. The maintenance work was completed on 7 June, but SAAT indicated the aircraft would not be released, pending the settlement of the account. V5-ANK is currently in Cyprus and the maintenance work was done, but the aircraft will only be released once a payment of N$5.1 million is received. For many years, taxpayers have had to endure a gluttony of bailouts as the national airline kept its begging bowl firmly under government’s nose, while leaking billions of dollars. Strategic plan after strategic plan was crafted, seemingly every five years, with the hope that a semblance of self-sustainability could be reached. The issue here is that Air Namibia has been badly managed and accountability and transparency have not been forthcoming. In the same vein, there was a distinct lack of political leadership that could have stopped this rot in its track. Yet again we have woken up after the train has left the station. We are now in a huge mess of epic proportion, given that a national airline is supposed to be the pride of a nation. Ours has now become a laughing stock. Instead of charting a new course to put the airline on the right trajectory, internal strife and infighting became the order of the day. And instead of following sound business principles, executives behaved like treasury has an unlimited supply of cash to sustain their sheer ineptitude. How the mighty have fallen.

‘Just hunt for another woman’Plenty to go around Minister Doreen Sioka says there are more women than men in Namibia, and dissatisfied husbands should just find other wives.

KENYA KAMBOWE

Gender affairs minister Doreen Sioka has urged men to find another partner when their relationships go sour, as there are more women than men in Namibia.

Sioka was speaking at Nkurenkuru yesterday, where she handed over equipment under the ministry’s Income Generating Activities (IGA) programme.

“If you don’t want me or I don’t want you, leave me in peace, go and hunt for another one. Women are many in this country, if you don’t want that woman, don’t kill, just go and marry another one,” Sioka said.

She advised men to accept it when a woman ends a relationship.

“If the girl says no, it’s no, you should not force something. I don’t know what type of law we should put in place,” Sioka said.

She said women endure many challenges and go through a lot to maintain their households but they end up as victims of abusive men who were supposed to protect them.

Sioka also pointed out that in some cases gender violence is committed by educated men who know that women should be treated with respect.

Last week, Kavango West governor Sirkka Ausiku said in her state of the region address that 23 cases of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm had been recorded in the region during the year under review. There were also 16 cases of common assault, 12 cases of assault by threat, 11 cases of attempted murder and five rape cases.

Westair shakes up aviation sectorJooste denies links to Air Namibia's competitor Westair Aviation has been recognised as a scheduled passenger airline on national and regional routes, which could signal more trouble for Air Namibia.

An announcement by privately owned Westair Aviation that it will start offering passenger flights from Windhoek to Oranjemund and Ondangwa could put further pressure on the flailing Air Namibia.

Westair has been granted designated carrier status by the National Transport Commission of Namibia, which makes it an official scheduled passenger airline with flights to various destinations domestically and in the subregion under the brand name FlyWestair.

Its first route will be three scheduled flights per week from Eros Airport in Windhoek to Oranjemund, starting on 24 June.

Other routes to be included are flights to Cape Town (from Oranjemund and Windhoek), Walvis Bay, Ondangwa, and Johannesburg.

Local flights on these routes are planned to start from July, and regional flights will start from August, subject to service agreements with authorities and service providers.

“Given the economic gravity of companies operating from Oranjemund, there is definitely a need to increase the accessibility and flights to Oranjemund that will benefit the economy and industry for Oranjemund and the country at large,” said Wolfgang Grellmann, chairperson of the Westair Group.

He said Ondangwa is the most frequented destination, indicative of the government's investment in the airport there.

Grellmann said Westair has a fleet of 50-seat Embraer 145 aircraft and a maintenance facility at Eros Airport that can do heavy maintenance and line maintenance on regional jet aircraft.

Through Signa Aviation Services, Westair has also created local capacity to train pilots for its operations. Public enterprises minister Leon Jooste yesterday said he has no interest in Westair as alleged in the local media. He also said denied that there was a “concerted effort” to kill Air Namibia to benefit the private airline.

In 2017, The Patriot reported allegations of a “well-crafted conspiracy”, which allegedly included cabinet ministers, aimed at deliberately ensuring that Air Namibia would remain dependent on leasing aircraft at exorbitant amounts.

This was after reports had surfaced that Westair had reportedly bought almost half of Air Namibia's fleet from Air France Regional. The newspaper's sources claimed that Jooste and finance minister Calle Schlettwein were aware of the deal.

Implications for Air Namibia

This new arrangement makes Westair the second scheduled service operator in the country, the other being Air Namibia, which is buckling under increasing financial woes and a crippling N$400 million lawsuit. Grellmann said Westair has always had a close working relationship with the national airline and has leased aircraft on an Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance, and Insurance (ACMI) basis to Air Namibia on a semi-permanent basis for the last 18 months.

This lease agreement expired at the end of May.

As for the implications these developments may have for the limping national airline, Grellmann said: “FlyWestair's entrance to the market will serve the local economy and support Air Namibia in developing the sector to make Namibia more competitive in a competitive industry dominated by foreign operators.”

Air Nam's woes pile up

Air Namibia's interim CEO, Xavier Masule, at the end of May informed the works ministry that the airline's flights between Windhoek and Luanda had been suspended, that its flight rotations to Johannesburg had been reduced from three to one per day, and the Cape Town flights to two per day.

This was done because only one of the airline's Airbus A319 planes is operational at the moment, while the rest of the fleet is undergoing mandatory maintenance checks. Masule appealed for a N$20 million government bailout to pay South African Airways Technical (SAAT) during the first week of June to ensure that the maintenance checks were not further delayed.

Ground-handling contract

suspended

Furthermore, Namibia Airports Company (NAC) CEO Bisey /Uirab informed Masule on 22 May that the NAC would not renew their agreement for the provision of ground-handling services to Air Namibia at Hosea Kutako International Airport (HKIA).

/Uirab wrote that Air Namibia had breached certain clauses of the agreement, including failing to pay for the services on time.

This agreement had expired on 31 October last year already, but the NAC gave Air Namibia a further six months' notice effective from 1 June to 30 November to “vacate and cease” its operations as a ground handler at HKIA.

“We are open to discussions but we are running a business,” was all /Uirab was prepared to say yesterday. /Uirab said the NAC would invite bids for ground-handling services in due course, adding that Air Namibia was more than welcome to participate in the bidding process.

CATHERINE SASMAN

No licence to spy

Evidence that the Namibian government has acquired top-notch surveillance equipment on the international market over the past decade has raised concern that it is being illegally deployed to spy on citizens in the absence of laws that would guard against abuse.

“It seems clear that Namibia already has formidable and sophisticated communications surveillance capabilities,” states a research paper released yesterday by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), titled 'Spying on Speech'.

Based on research conducted since 2017 by IPPR research associate Frederico Links, the paper observes that “surveillance overreach and abuse appear to be realities in Namibia”.

This is based on the fact the government has “been very active in the surveillance technology market as a buyer or potential buyer of all sorts of surveillance tech” between 2009 and 2019.

Numerous sections dealing with the publicly available evidence of these purchases and enquiries into the technology are included in the paper. Links underlines that while surveillance is undeniably a necessity to some extent for any government to tackle crime and other threats, abuse is bound to be rife when there are no legal frameworks to keep the spies in check.

The legal framework applicable in Namibia is part six of the Communications Act of 2009, which provides for the interception of telecommunications and which to date has not been put into force.

This has been an issue that international human rights organisations queried over the course of a number of years, in the face of continued denials from the government that interceptions are taking place.

In 2015, Privacy International made a submission to the UN Human Rights Committee (HRC), addressing part six of the Act and warning that the absence of the regulations means there is neither judicial authorisation required to conduct surveillance, nor any oversight.

Although there are indications the regulations could be finalised this year, the paper concludes there are “credible indications” the Namibia Central Intelligence Service (NCIS) is conducting surveillance.

No checks

Links writes that “in circumstances where regulatory and oversight mechanisms are weak or lacking, as appears to be the case in Namibia, surveillance capabilities can very easily be abused.”

Moreover, the paper argues that the security and intelligence apparatus of the Namibian state “seems to operate with a sense of impunity and non-accountability”.

In a section titled 'Abuse of Power and Secrecy', it is underlined that Namibia's security and intelligence governance culture is characterised by “secrecy, silence and impunity”.

Market evidence

Evidence gathered by Links shows that while the Namibian government was steadfastly denying that interceptions of telecommunications were taking place, publicly available information show state actors were buying sophisticated surveillance equipment on the international market.

“Should we take this to mean that the Namibian government is stockpiling these technologies for when eventually part six is to be gazetted and comes into force? Or can this lead us to infer that actually these technologies are being used, because we all know technology becomes obsolete very quickly,” he asked at the launch yesterday.

Although Links was able to trace the government's purchase of surveillance technology since 2008 from some countries, he warned that not all governments are transparent about the sales or manufacturing of spy equipment.

Links highlighted that in the absence of terrorism or other credible threats to national security in Namibia, the question is what is being monitored and why.

“You get the sense there is a fear of outspokenness, or legitimate political expression, and the challenge to existing elite power and to a sense of entitlement to rule,” he said.

JANA-MARI SMITH

Small win for accidental police shooting victim A former Iveco bus driver wounded by a stray bullet fired from a police officer's gun has been awarded N$150 000 in damages after suing the safety and security ministry for N$1.2 million.

Ndilyowike Haishonga (31) was accidentally shot in a scuffle between a police officer and suspected robber on 27 September 2016. The bullet remains lodged in his body to this day, dangerously close to his heart. Surgeons say it is too risky to remove the bullet. Haishonga testified in court that he suffers constant pain and is dependent on painkillers. Haishonga also testified that he has not been able to work since the incident.

Small win

Last week, High Court Judge Hannelie Prinsloo found in favour of Haishonga although the court order awarded him substantially less than he had sued for.

She ordered that Haishonga be paid N$100 000 for pain and suffering, N$50 000 for emotional and psychological pain and N$560 for past medical treatment and examination, plus 20% interest calculated from the date of judgment.

He was also awarded the costs of the lawsuit, but no order was made as to future medical expenses. Haishonga had asked for an additional N$1 million for future medical expenses, as well as N$50 000 for past medical treatments.

The Namibian police strongly denied responsibility for the accidental shooting at the Okuryangava Stop and Shop shopping centre.

Lawyers argued there was no evidence, forensic or otherwise, that the trigger was pulled by the police officer and therefore no “unlawful shooting or assault” took place.

They confirmed that an attempted murder investigation was opened in September 2016, which is still pending, nearly tThey confirmed that an attempted murder investigation was opened in September 2016, which is still pending, nearly three years later.

The defendants argued that the onus was on Haishonga to prove who shot him, which they claimed was not done.

Constable Daniel Kashela, the officer who was involved in the tussle with a suspected robber, testified that he was trying to disarm the knife-wielding man when his service pistol discharged accidentally and the bullet struck Haishonga, who was sitting in a bus.

Kashela said the suspect managed to remove his pistol from its holster and pointed it at his stomach. “While fighting for the gun the suspect almost overpowered me and turned the gun in my direction while holding the trigger and the trigger went off, almost [shooting me] through my abdomen.”

He testified that a moment later he saw Haishonga “holding himself and bleeding from the rib's side”.

He rushed Haishonga to hospital.

Haishonga testified that while he was sitting in the bus he heard a commotion and looking up saw “a young boy who was running away very fast” being chased by several security guards, civilians and a police officer. He claimed that while being rushed to the hospital, the police officer frequently said “how sorry he was and how he made a mistake when he accidentally shot me”. The defence strenuously denied this.

Haishonga also testified that Kashela had told medical personnel at the Katutura State Hospital “that he had shot me accidentally while trying to apprehend a robber.”

Negligence

During the trial, it was revealed that the safety pin of the police-issued firearm in Kashela's possession “did not work”.

The Legal Assistance Centre (LAC) team acting on behalf of Haishonga argued that the shooting was negligent because Kashela had failed to take all necessary steps and measures to ensure the firearm was fit for the purpose for which it was issued to him.

The defence argued nevertheless that there is no conclusion as to who had pulled the trigger.

They further claimed Haishonga had initially told the police that he did “not really know who fired the shot”.

Psychologist Dr Shaun Whittaker testified that Haishonga is suffering from severe post-traumatic stress disorder as well as major depression as a result of the shooting.

Haishonga was represented by Sharen Zenda of the LAC while the ministry was represented by Mathias Kashindi.

JANA-MARI SMITH

BoN keeps repo unchanged

The Bank of Namibia (BoN) this morning kept its repo rate unchanged at 6.75%.
This means the prime interest rates of local commercial banks will remain 10.5%.
Speaking at the monetary policy announcement, BoN governor Ipumbu Shiimi said the Namibian economy slowed during the first four months of 2019 compared to the same period last year.
The slowdown was reflected in sectors such as mining, agriculture, construction, as well as wholesale and retail trade, Shiimi said. Manufacturing, tourism and the electricity sectors also took a knock.
Shiimi said the domestic economy is projected to remain “weak” this year.

!Naruseb uncomfortable with media taking photos in NA

Minister of Works and Transport Alpheus !Naruseb on Tuesday complained in the National Assembly (NA) that he is not comfortable with the media taking photos of Members of Parliament (MPs).
The Minister of Agriculture, Water and Forestry rose during the session on Tuesday to ask National Assembly Deputy Speaker Loide Kasingo whether members of the media covering the NA session were allowed to take pictures of MPs while they were debating national issues.
“Honourable speaker, I just want to know if it is allowed for some people to take photos of others here while we are debating? They have binoculars looking into our cell phones. Is it really allowed?” asked !Naruseb.
Popular Democratic Movement MP Elma Dienda then interjected and questioned whether the minister had something to hide and why he was trying to prevent the media from doing their job.
“Are you busy with porn or why don't you want the media to take photos if you are in Parliament?” Dienda asked.
Kasingo then asked Minister of Information and Communication Technology, Stanley Simataa to explain to the House, how the media should conduct themselves during Parliament sessions.
Simataa informed the MPs that the media should always conduct themselves in a professional and ethical manner.
Local media previously reported that Minister of Industrialisation, Trade and SME Development Tjekero Tweya was caught browsing an international dating website during a NA session, while Safety and Security Minister Charles Namoloh was also recorded on camera, watching a video clip in Parliament.

NAMPA

Swapo suspends governor, councillors

Otjozondjupa governor Otto Ipinge and three regional councillors as well as two local authority leaders in Grootfontein have been suspended from all Swapo activities with immediate effect. The six are accused of undermining the elected leadership of Swapo in the region. They have also been accused of conducting illegal and “unauthorised renewal of mandates” within districts of Otjiwarongo and Grootfontein. Among those suspended are Okahandja constituency councillor Steve Boois, his Otjiwarongo counterpart Julius Neumbo as well as Nelao Amagulu, the regional councillor for Grootfontein. Two Grootfontein town councillors Jack Tsanigab and Absai Haimene have also been suspended. “A necessary corollary or consequence of the suspension is that the suspended comrades must forthwith cease to engage themselves in any Swapo Party activities pending pronouncement by the political bureau of the Swapo Party,” said Swapo regional coordinator Susan Hikopua.

STAFF REPORTER