Nujoma foundation’s N$45m building to complete first phase this year

THE Sam Nujoma Foundation said the first phase of construction of its new Windhoek office building will be completed this year, and the project would cost over N$45 million.

The land situated in Windhoek North is located close to the new home affairs offices.

The project is co-funded by the N$13 million the foundation made from the sale of a portion of the land donated to it by the Windhoek municipality in 2006.

In the past, the government spent more than N$21,6 million to fund the office of the founding president. Additionally, the government allocated N$43 million to upgrade Nujoma’s private house located on the outskirts of Windhoek.

Nujoma’s inner circle has in the past been accused of using his name to “cook up” projects to line their pockets.

The latest office development dates back to a transaction in 2006 when the foundation received a free plot initially planned for a sports facility.

The foundation struggled to develop the land and instead sold 16 000 square metres for N$13 million in 2014 to the government for the construction of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security headquarters.

Sam Nujoma Foundation chairperson Nahas Angula told The Namibian last year that proceeds from the sale were used to develop the Sam Nujoma Foundation Centre.

One wing of the centre will be rented out to businesses, Angula said.

The first phase of the project was initially expected to be completed by November 2022 for N$25 million, and the foundation says it needs N$20 million for the second phase.

“Upon completion of phase one, the foundation aims to continue with phase two and as a non-profit organisation there is a need for funding phase two,” Angula said.

The second phase will be funded by the mixed development which will raise funds, through renting, for the sustainability of the Sam Nujoma Foundation, he said.

The foundation has in the past been accused of profiting from land earmarked for charity work.

Insight, a monthly magazine, questioned the deal in 2009 in terms of needing the 36 000 square metres it received, considering the foundation’s application to sell and lease the bigger plot of 20 000 square metres.

“While the actual value of the land was around N$48 million at the time, the foundation sold that piece of land to the government for N$13 million, below the actual value of the land,” Angula said.

The decision to rent out parts of the new building is part of efforts to build the Sam Nujoma Foundation while maintaining its mission to promote pan Africanism and the general welfare of the people of African descent, he said.

“Construction is a complex process but we are making good progress,” he said.

“There have been delays here and there due to Covid-19, which affected most industries.”

Angula expressed hope of completing the project in the near future, despite the limited budget.

He said the land was donated to Nujoma by the City of Windhoek in recognition of his selfless contribution to Namibia.

“Therefore, it is not in the best interest of nation building to create insinuations that the founding president is carrying out these initiatives as a kind of self-enrichment [scheme],” he said.