… AS HE FAILS TO PAY N$50 000 LOANS USED TO SERVICE RFA FUNDS
By: Kelvin Chiringa
Soon after being criminally charged by the Roads Fund Administration (RFA) for allegedly stealing N$85 000 to fund his election campaign last year, Swapo’s Katima urban constituency councillor, Kennedy Simasiku is now in trouble with a micro-lending company that has accused him of failing to pay back a N$50 000 loan.
Matengu Nkando, the owner of Katima Mulilo based Kuomboka Cash Loan, provided documentary evidence to the effect that he gave a N$50 000 loan to Kennedy Simasiku so he could pay back part of the N$85 000 to his former employer.
The transaction from Kuomboka was made through a Bank Windhoek account, with reference number 20211018-43852224.
Nkando said the councillor is failing to pay back the loan, confirming that he is currently experiencing cash flow problems and can not service some of his debts.
The businessman told The Villager he is on the way to opening a case against Simasiku.
“He came to me to sign a loan form. I do have a micro-lending company. He came to my office to sign a loan for N$50 000 and when I approved it, he said I must pay it to Road Fund. It’s me who paid it. He is owing me and failing to pay since 18 October when I made the payment.
“I have not opened a case against him yet. He told me he has a lot of credits. That was afterwards, but before that he was telling me he is having a pension fund which will come in two weeks’ time. Until now he is telling me every day tomorrow, every day tomorrow, from 18 October.
“But the N$50 000, I am having the proof of payment, I do have his documents, the pay-slip, the loan application form, his I.D, everything submitted to my office. I approved this loan but until today he cannot pay me,” he said.
Nkando said he is not yet at the stage of confiscating his property as he is failing to get him on his mobile phone.
Asked if he knew that Simasiku had “used RFA money to fund his political campaign”, Nkando said, “The (RFA) money was already missing. Road Fund was putting pressure on him. That is when he said I must pay Road Fund.”
Simasiku, known in Katima as Gaza, has been off the hook with his mobile phone unavailable also when The Villager reached out to him throughout the weekend.
“Remember last year the story you published on Kennedy Simasiku who forged receipts but Swapo did not care to deal with him. Look at this. He has stolen some money from his previous employer,” a high-level source confided with The Villager last week.
Chuck Him Out!!
But Affirmative Repositioning (AR) activist Rasboom Mwemba is now putting pressure that the Swapo party to withdraw Simasiku.
“The situation on the ground here is very crazy. It’s very disappointing for the people of Katima Mulilo, and they are putting their eyes on this matter to see what the outcome will be. For now, as we see it, there hasn’t been action yet to withdraw him.
“We do not know what will be the case in the few days to come but action has to be taken. If the Swapo authorities do not do anything then we are going to take action. That is our responsibility, and we have the capacity to do so.
“It is like when this guy came in, he was just pushed by a group of friends who wanted to use him for their benefit when he came to that post, but he was not qualified at party level to be there. We were tipped off by our sources on the ground. They told us already about him stealing money for his campaign. We tried to open people’s eyes but they couldn’t believe us. They were just saying no, we are against him,” he said.
In the meantime, calls made to the Swapo party administrators, Sophia Shaningwa and Austin Samupwa, were fruitless.
