NUNW fight goes to court

THE National Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW) has obtained an urgent court order against its expelled acting Secretary General, Peter Naholo, restraining him from entering their premises.

The NUNW alleges that he is aggressive and threatened staff with violence. Naholo confirmed yesterday that he had been served with the papers on Saturday and that he was consulting his lawyers “to fight the union in court” for unfair dismissal.’NEW DEVELOPMENTS’ The urgent court order came after the NUNW failed to evict Naholo from their premises on Friday.On Friday, Naholo had vowed to return to office yesterday but never set foot on the premises, while journalists and other interested parties waited for him at the NUNW.”There were new developments over the weekend and they got a court order against me,” Naholo told The Namibian from home, when contacted for comment.NUNW first Vice President Alpheus Muheua claimed in an affidavit in the High Court on Saturday that they approached the court because Naholo was “extremely aggressive and threatened to assault” union staff on Friday.He said the staff were surprised when Naholo entered the premises on Friday and demanded to be given back his official vehicle and office keys and to be recognised as the acting SG of NUNW.He was accompanied by around 20 people “some of whom appeared to have been armed with firearms”, Muheua informed the court through the union’s lawyers, Ueitele Legal Practitioners.Muheua said Naholo used NUNW facilities to prepare his media briefing on the union’s letterhead and when questioned about his conduct became “extremely aggressive” and threatened to assault the staff members.Muheua then instructed NUNW Deputy Secretary General Evilastus Kaaronda to lay charges against Naholo and when two Police officers arrived at the premises to remove him during the media briefing, Naholo and his entourage “flatly refused and adopted an aggressive attitude towards the Police officers”.Muheua said they were shocked by Naholo’s conduct since he knew labour laws and could turn to courts to fight his case.He also appeared to have accepted the termination of his service when he surrendered his keys and the union vehicle and vacated his office in December.Muheua said Naholo’s vow to return to office yesterday might have resulted in “people getting physical with each other”.”[The] situation may spiral out of control, possibly resulting in innocent people being injured or lives lost,” he said in his affidavit.He said the union had no alternative but to get a court order “to prevent potential confrontation and bloodshed”, had Naholo returned to their offices.He said NUNW had a clear right to its property, which he claimed was under threat, and had a duty to protect it.The High Court ordered Naholo to stay away from the NUNW premises; not to interfere with its activities or office bearers; and not to act on behalf of the union.When he addressed the media on Friday, Naholo said “stupid idiots” with an agenda of hate and division had removed him as acting Secretary General while he was on leave in December but the “plot” was unsuccessful because they were a “useless” bunch being used by “somebody behind them”.It all started with a statement by a group of leaders from some NUNW affiliates backing Swapo President Sam Nujoma’s account of the events of April 1 1989.They said the support for Nujoma was decided at a NUNW leadership meeting, but Naholo wrote a letter to fellow union leaders and took issue with them over the statement.He said the NUNW had never decided to issue such a statement, as claimed by those who released it behind his and NUNW President Risto Kapenda’s back.Claiming that it was a collective decision of all NUNW affiliates, the statement backed Nujoma’s denials that he was to blame for the deaths of hundreds of Swapo fighters as the then commander-in-chief of the ruling party’s military wing.However, Naholo said a letter was issued by the secretariat calling for wider consultations “as well as prudent consideration of the matter around which the media statement revolved”.NUNW first vice president Alpheus Muheua and the others then called a meeting and expelled Naholo.Muheua maintained that they had followed the right procedures and the NUNW constitution before sacking Naholo and, therefore, there was nothing to be discussed.Infighting in the umbrella union, which is affiliated to Swapo, is a direct result of a fight for leadership in the NUNW.The NUNW will hold it congress in March where a new leadership will be elected that will have 10 voting rights at next year’s Swapo congress.Next year’s Swapo congress will see the election of a new leader for the ruling party.Naholo confirmed yesterday that he had been served with the papers on Saturday and that he was consulting his lawyers “to fight the union in court” for unfair dismissal.’NEW DEVELOPMENTS’ The urgent court order came after the NUNW failed to evict Naholo from their premises on Friday.On Friday, Naholo had vowed to return to office yesterday but never set foot on the premises, while journalists and other interested parties waited for him at the NUNW.”There were new developments over the weekend and they got a court order against me,” Naholo told The Namibian from home, when contacted for comment.NUNW first Vice President Alpheus Muheua claimed in an affidavit in the High Court on Saturday that they approached the court because Naholo was “extremely aggressive and threatened to assault” union staff on Friday.He said the staff were surprised when Naholo entered the premises on Friday and demanded to be given back his official vehicle and office keys and to be recognised as the acting SG of NUNW. He was accompanied by around 20 people “some of whom appeared to have been armed with firearms”, Muheua informed the court through the union’s lawyers, Ueitele Legal Practitioners.Muheua said Naholo used NUNW facilities to prepare his media briefing on the union’s letterhead and when questioned about his conduct became “extremely aggressive” and threatened to assault the staff members.Muheua then instructed NUNW Deputy Secretary General Evilastus Kaaronda to lay charges against Naholo and when two Police officers arrived at the premises to remove him during the media briefing, Naholo and his entourage “flatly refused and adopted an aggressive attitude towards the Police officers”.Muheua said they were shocked by Naholo’s conduct since he knew labour laws and could turn to courts to fight his case.He also appeared to have accepted the termination of his service when he surrendered his keys and the union vehicle and vacated his office in December.Muheua said Naholo’s vow to return to office yesterday might have resulted in “people getting physical with each other”.”[The] situation may spiral out of control, possibly resulting in innocent people being injured or lives lost,” he said in his affidavit.He said the union had no alternative but to get a court order “to prevent potential confrontation and bloodshed”, had Naholo returned to their offices.He said NUNW had a clear right to its property, which he claimed was under threat, and had a duty to protect it.The High Court ordered Naholo to stay away from the NUNW premises; not to interfere with its activities or office bearers; and not to act on behalf of the union.When he addressed the media on Friday, Naholo said “stupid idiots” with an agenda of hate and division had removed him as acting Secretary General while he was on leave in December but the “plot” was unsuccessful because they were a “useless” bunch being used by “somebody behind them”.It all started with a statement by a group of leaders from some NUNW affiliates backing Swapo President Sam Nujoma’s account of the events of April 1 1989.They said the support for Nujoma was decided at a NUNW leadership meeting, but Naholo wrote a letter to fellow union leaders and took issue with them over the statement.He said the NUNW had never decided to issue such a statement, as claimed by those who released it behind his and NUNW President Risto Kapenda’s back.Claiming that it was a collective decision of all NUNW affiliates, the statement backed Nujoma’s denials that he was to blame for the deaths of hundreds of Swapo fighters as the then commander-in-chief of the ruling party’s military wing.However, Naholo said a letter was issued by the secretariat calling for wider consultations “as well as prudent consideration of the matter around which the media statement revolved”.NUNW first vice president Alpheus Muheua and the others then called a meeting and expelled Naholo.Muheua maintained that they had followed the right procedures and the NUNW constitution before sacking Naholo and, therefore, there was nothing to be discussed.Infighting in the umbrella union, which is affiliated to Swapo, is a direct result of a fight for leadership in the NUNW.The NUNW will hold it congress in March where a new leadership will be elected that will have 10 voting rights at next year’s Swapo congress.Next year’s Swapo congress will see the election of a new leader for the ruling party.