Rift in NUNW widens

DIVISIONS in the leadership of the National Union of Namibian Workers have hit rock bottom, with its President Risto Kapenda yesterday publicly differing with the rest of the leadership on actions taken against expelled acting Secretary General Peter Naholo.

The NUNW is the mother body of all unions affiliated to the ruling Swapo Party. Union sources said yesterday that by differing with fellow NUNW leaders publicly yesterday Kapenda had “buried himself alive” and could face disciplinary action.The Namibian established that Kapenda is already out of contention for the top position at the upcoming NUNW congress.None of the unions have so far nominated him for any leadership position.By yesterday afternoon only nominations from the Namibia National Teachers’ Union and the Mineworkers’ Union of Namibia were outstanding.Nantu, the Namibia Public Workers’ Union and the Namibia Food and Allied Workers’ Union are the biggest groups and will have the most delegates at the congress that is scheduled to start on April 28.It will be opened by President Hifikepunye Pohamba.Kapenda has served the NUNW on a Napwu ticket but has already been ditched by the public workers’ union.Kapenda’s differences with the rest of the leadership reached its lowest point at Saturday’s NUNW Central Executive Committee (CEC) meeting which, among others, decided to endorse the expulsion of Naholo from his position and the court case against him.He chaired the meeting and was given the job of reading out the decisions to the media at yesterday’s briefing.Kapenda announced everything except the decision which indicated that the CEC had endorsed a controversial NUNW decision to expel Naholo from his position as acting Secretary General.That part was read out by NUNW first vice president Alpheus Muheua.Even before that, Kapenda expressed sentiments bordering on distrust when he was introduced by Muheua.”It was a unique introduction after all these years,” Kapenda remarked before he continued reading the statement.When asked why he did not read the part on Naholo, Kapenda first said he felt there were people who could deal with it before adding that the case was sub judice.Last week the High Court reserved its ruling until this Friday on whether the NUNW had acted correctly in sacking Naholo.The case stems from Naholo allegedly daring to question the procedures used by a leaders of some NUNW affiliates before a statement was issued backing Swapo President Sam Nujoma’s account of the events of April 1 1989.A letter by Naholo to NUNW affiliates in December, attached to his affidavit, states that he expressed concern that the umbrella body was not consulted before the statement to support Nujoma was issued.Instead, some of the affiliates called a media briefing a few days later and announced that a collective decision was taken to back 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.Naholo responded with another statement in which he distanced the NUNW from the statement, saying that they had never decided to issue such a statement, as claimed by those who released it behind his and Kapenda’s back.Muheua and the others then called a meeting and expelled Naholo.At yesterday’s briefing, Kapenda said his input on Naholo’s dismissal during Saturday’s CEC was “not for public consumption”.He claimed that there were people in the top leadership who were out “to buy faces” and to fulfil other people’s missions but that he was there to serve workers.”I feel workers themselves must decide on whether we acted right.Did we ask the masses (before sacking Naholo)? No,” he said.Sitting next to him, Muheua maintained that the CEC decision was a resolution and not the opinion of one leader.Acting NUNW Secretary General Evilastus Kaaronda, who was installed in Naholo’s position, admitted there were differences among the leadership but added that the NUNW had never been a homogeneous organisation.”The CEC was attended by all union leaders and people expressed different views.That is democracy.At the end we have come to a common position,” he said.Kapenda seemed to differ with almost everything coming out of the mouths of Kaaronda and Muheua prompting another union leader to privately remark to The Namibian that he was acting in a manner that warranted his removal from office.For instance, the NUNW President, said seven unions attended the CEC meeting but not all were in good standing with the umbrella body because they had not paid heir membership fees.”The interpretation of quorum needs to be looked at,” he said.Kaaronda responded by stating that some had good standing through paying 10 per cent of their income, others through paying half of that while the last group paid in kind.”The congress will determine whether we are serving the workers,” Kapenda said before leaving the boardroom after the briefing.Union sources said yesterday that by differing with fellow NUNW leaders publicly yesterday Kapenda had “buried himself alive” and could face disciplinary action.The Namibian established that Kapenda is already out of contention for the top position at the upcoming NUNW congress.None of the unions have so far nominated him for any leadership position.By yesterday afternoon only nominations from the Namibia National Teachers’ Union and the Mineworkers’ Union of Namibia were outstanding.Nantu, the Namibia Public Workers’ Union and the Namibia Food and Allied Workers’ Union are the biggest groups and will have the most delegates at the congress that is scheduled to start on April 28.It will be opened by President Hifikepunye Pohamba.Kapenda has served the NUNW on a Napwu ticket but has already been ditched by the public workers’ union.Kapenda’s differences with the rest of the leadership reached its lowest point at Saturday’s NUNW Central Executive Committee (CEC) meeting which, among others, decided to endorse the expulsion of Naholo from his position and the court case against him.He chaired the meeting and was given the job of reading out the decisions to the media at yesterday’s briefing. Kapenda announced everything except the decision which indicated that the CEC had endorsed a controversial NUNW decision to expel Naholo from his position as acting Secretary General.That part was read out by NUNW first vice president Alpheus Muheua.Even before that, Kapenda expressed sentiments bordering on distrust when he was introduced by Muheua.”It was a unique introduction after all these years,” Kapenda remarked before he continued reading the statement.When asked why he did not read the part on Naholo, Kapenda first said he felt there were people who could deal with it before adding that the case was sub judice.Last week the High Court reserved its ruling until this Friday on whether the NUNW had acted correctly in sacking Naholo.The case stems from Naholo allegedly daring to question the procedures used by a leaders of some NUNW affiliates before a statement was issued backing Swapo President Sam Nujoma’s account of the events of April 1 1989.A letter by Naholo to NUNW affiliates in December, attached to his affidavit, states that he expressed concern that the umbrella body was not consulted before the statement to support Nujoma was issued.Instead, some of the affiliates called a media briefing a few days later and announced that a collective decision was taken to back 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.Naholo responded with another statement in which he distanced the NUNW from the statement, saying that they had never decided to issue such a statement, as claimed by those who released it behind his and Kapenda’s back.Muheua and the others then called a meeting and expelled Naholo.At yesterday’s briefing, Kapenda said his input on Naholo’s dismissal during Saturday’s CEC was “not for public consumption”.He claimed that there were people in the top leadership who were out “to buy faces” and to fulfil other people’s missions but that he was there to serve workers.”I feel workers themselves must decide on whether we acted right.Did we ask the masses (before sacking Naholo)? No,” he said.Sitting next to him, Muheua maintained that the CEC decision was a resolution and not the opinion of one leader.Acting NUNW Secretary General Evilastus Kaaronda, who was installed in Naholo’s position, admitted there were differences among the leadership but added that the NUNW had never been a homogeneous organisation.”The CEC was attended by all union leaders and people expressed different views.That is democracy.At the end we have come to a common position,” he said.Kapenda seemed to differ with almost everything coming out of the mouths of Kaaronda and Muheua prompting another union leader to privately remark to The Namibian that he was acting in a manner that warranted his removal from office.For instance, the NUNW President, said seven unions attended the CEC meeting but not all were in good standing with the umbrella body because they had not paid heir membership fees.”The interpretation of quorum needs to be looked at,” he said.Kaaronda responded by stating that some had good standing through paying 10 per cent of their income, others through paying half of that while the last group paid in kind.”The congress will determine whether we are serving the workers,” Kapenda said before leaving the boardroom after the briefing.