Nored MD suspended

NORED, the company that sells electricity in the northern towns of Namibia, has confirmed the suspension of its Managing Director but has declined to address suggestions that the decision was linked to Swapo’s presidential race.

Martin Heita was sent on forced leave on Thursday, Nored Chairman Erastus Uutoni confirmed at the weekend. Heita also confirmed the suspension.Both declined to give reasons for the move.Heita said he would speak out only on Tuesday or later after consulting lawyers.Uutoni, who was recently appointed as mayor of Ongwediva under controversial circumstances, said the matter was still to be finalised.Heita was one of the most visible supporters of axed Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hidipo Hamutenya, whom insiders said President Sam Nujoma castigated and accused of having alleged links to unidentified “imperialists”.The Nored MD sat at the head table on the top floor of a local hotel when Hamutenya and his Deputy Kaire Mbuende addressed a press conference to say that Nujoma had fired them on flimsy ground in an attempt to derail their presidential campaign.Hamutenya’s supporters are likely to see his suspension as part of the “victimisation” that stems from the “dirty campaigning” that Nujoma spearheaded to ensure that the man he chose to succeed him, Hifikepunye Pohamba, was elected at the special congress held at the end of May.But others say an anti-Nujoma paper purportedly faxed from Nored, with the company’s letterhead, to a Government agency in Windhoek may have triggered his suspension.The document attacked Nujoma for allegedly engaging in a “clandestine” campaigning to vilify Hamutenya, and to foment tribalism and divisions in Swapo.Heita, who is accused of being its author, is thus accused of abusing company property for party politics.The Nored man said he was not informed that the document was the reason for his booting, but declined to discuss anything further or confirm that he wrote it.Asked whether the paper had anything to do with the suspension, Uutoni said:”I don’t know that,” but quickly added, “that’s an internal matter.Just wait until we work out everything.”Uutoni will himself be seen as waging a witch-hunt against Hamutenya’s supporters.Especially after Swapo’s top leadership re-installed him as mayor although his party members had ousted him from the Ongwediva council in May before the local authority elections.Heita’s issue is likely to be seen as party of the “dirty tricks” that preceded the Swapo congress, even if he was found to have been involved in writing or sending the anti-Nujoma paper.Heita also confirmed the suspension.Both declined to give reasons for the move.Heita said he would speak out only on Tuesday or later after consulting lawyers.Uutoni, who was recently appointed as mayor of Ongwediva under controversial circumstances, said the matter was still to be finalised.Heita was one of the most visible supporters of axed Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hidipo Hamutenya, whom insiders said President Sam Nujoma castigated and accused of having alleged links to unidentified “imperialists”.The Nored MD sat at the head table on the top floor of a local hotel when Hamutenya and his Deputy Kaire Mbuende addressed a press conference to say that Nujoma had fired them on flimsy ground in an attempt to derail their presidential campaign.Hamutenya’s supporters are likely to see his suspension as part of the “victimisation” that stems from the “dirty campaigning” that Nujoma spearheaded to ensure that the man he chose to succeed him, Hifikepunye Pohamba, was elected at the special congress held at the end of May.But others say an anti-Nujoma paper purportedly faxed from Nored, with the company’s letterhead, to a Government agency in Windhoek may have triggered his suspension.The document attacked Nujoma for allegedly engaging in a “clandestine” campaigning to vilify Hamutenya, and to foment tribalism and divisions in Swapo.Heita, who is accused of being its author, is thus accused of abusing company property for party politics.The Nored man said he was not informed that the document was the reason for his booting, but declined to discuss anything further or confirm that he wrote it.Asked whether the paper had anything to do with the suspension, Uutoni said:”I don’t know that,” but quickly added, “that’s an internal matter.Just wait until we work out everything.”Uutoni will himself be seen as waging a witch-hunt against Hamutenya’s supporters.Especially after Swapo’s top leadership re-installed him as mayor although his party members had ousted him from the Ongwediva council in May before the local authority elections.Heita’s issue is likely to be seen as party of the “dirty tricks” that preceded the Swapo congress, even if he was found to have been involved in writing or sending the anti-Nujoma paper.