Swapo HQ deal above board – Schlettwein

FINANCE minister Calle Schlettwein says Namibians should not blame Swapo for awarding a N$730 million tender to a Chinese company to renovate the party’s headquarters in Windhoek.

reported yesterday that the contract was awarded to Unik Construction Engineering for around N$730 million.

The minister was roped in by the ruling party last year to ensure fairness and transparency in the procurement process.

“Don’t blame Swapo for giving a tender to a foreign entity when no local entity offered to construct it [the headquarters],” Schlettwein said during a press briefing yesterday.

The finance minister insisted that there was nothing wrong with awarding a tender to a foreign firm.

There are complaints that the ruling party is “auctioning off its soul to the Chinese government”, and could face political blackmail if it fails to pay the Asian powerhouse, which is said to have offered to start paying for the project on Swapo’s behalf.

Schlettwein said it is a bit presumptuous to dictate to any entity what it should spend its money on since people do not know its balance-sheet, and how much it contributes to voluntary causes.

He said the tender was publicly advertised.

“Unfortunately, no Namibian company put in a bid for the tender,” he added.

The minister admitted that he had the same questions on awarding the tender to a foreign-dominated firm.

He said the construction sector was crying foul about a lack of jobs, but there was not a single bid solely from Namibians.

“It is not Swapo who gave to the tender to a Chinese company. Namibians didn’t bid,” he reiterated, which is why the party opted for a Chinese firm, which partnered with an unknown Namibian outfit.

The party wants to transform its headquarters, opposite the Katutura Intermediate Hospital along Independence Avenue in Windhoek, into a modern office complex. Swapo has been secretive about the critical details of the transaction.

understands that the decision to pick Unik Construction Engineering was a major U-turn after the same contract was initially awarded to a joint venture between another Chinese company, New Era Investment (Pty) Ltd and Guinas Investment.

It is not clear where the party would get the N$730 million from, and how long it will pay back the money.

Sources claimed that the Chinese government will provide the money to kick-start the project because the ruling party does not have it.

One of the leaked designs viewed by last year shows a proposed 10-floor building, including a basement and a shopping mall on land measuring 14 000 square metres.

The design also includes a 170-car parking lot.

Shaningwa hinted that the building would consist of eight floors, and accommodate the office of founding president Sam Nujoma, the office of current president Hage Geingob, and the office of their veterans’ affairs department, among others.