By: Kelvin Chiringa
President Hage Geingob must be seen to be consistent and summon Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila to explain herself on the controversial loans paid out to her husband at the Development Bank of Namibia (DBN).
Although the PM has stated that she has nothing to do with the business dealings of her husband, Onesmus ‘Tona’ Amadhila, this has been slammed as not adequate enough.
“Amadhila is a businessperson and has been in business prior to being my husband. His dealings with any institution, public or private, are subject to the applicable policies as approved, and I have never used my position to secure special treatment for him. Such allegations are without basis and are malicious,” she said
The Namibian this week reported that Amadhila secured some N$180 million in loans as far back as 2014.
The loans have raised eyebrows given that DBN reported to Kuugongelwa-Amadhila as finance minister in 2015.
Further, she sits in Cabinet where these issues are also discussed.
Mahongora said Geingob must crake the whip as he has done with other ministers before, Mahongora said
“Consistency is an ingredient to success and credibility. The Prime Minister must be called in to come and explain whether a dispute of interest was declared, at what level, and which year and how did that transpire. Because it’s not about the loans of DBN, it’s about the lands also.
“We have a situation where two MPs were dismissed irregularly out of parliament on the issues of the Prime Minister which was overturned by the Supreme Court.
“There had been very chaotic disruptions in parliament. The President has to call the Prime Minister now so that the PM can explain the saga around this farm. The ignorance of the President trying to push the matter under the carpet will not help anyone, because this matter will not die. It will be there, and we will continue with it.
“And we should remember that where a state institution is involved with a high-ranking person or indirectly through a husband or family, a clear conflict of interest needs to be declared.”
Geingob has, as of late, summoned ex-defence minister Peter Vilho to explain allegations of illicit proceeds in an undeclared foreign bank account in his name.
Although he did not fire ex-ministers Sackey Shanghala and Bernhardt Esau, he summoned them at State House to explain their involvement in the fishrot scandal after which they resigned on the same day.
At the back of these developments, parties like the Landless People’s Movement (LPM) have this week openly called on Geingob to also fire Kuugongelwa-Amadhila.
Mahongora said if the President does not act against his PM, the National Assembly is going to make noise on the issue when it opens this September, as what happened during the controversial farms issue.
“And why should the President allow the whole administration to be covered by the clouds around their heads on issues that could be explained by the Prime Minister? So, what is very important also is that DBN should come out clear whether the money that they have advanced to the husband of the Prime Minister was repaid, at what level, and what was the explanation because they are supposed to account to the public because the money they are using is state money. It’s not their private investment or whatsoever.
“And every citizen has the right to question DBN and the Prime Minister based on the office that she occupies. If she doesn’t want to be questioned then she must leave the office. That is the bottom line,” said Mahongora.
Mahongora said how the Prime Minister will handle the controversies around her will determine her political future.
He said the best way is for her to take the public into confidence in offering adequate convincing explanations.
“It can go well in her favour. But if she continues trying to dodge and try to seek refuge in the Presidency, dodging also, it might affect her more negatively,” he said.
