Fired Nabta leaders want to go to court

FIVE former leaders of the Namibia Bus and Taxi Association (Nabta) who were stripped of their positions by Nabta president Magnus Nangombe, say their firing was illegal.

Yesterday, they wanted Nabta to address their situation as well as what they called the current management crisis in the association, but were chased out of the Windhoek Nabta offices. The five were stripped of their positions last year.Pendapala Nakathingo, who was the Nabta chairman for the Oshana Region, was dismissed on October 9, while Willie Gariseb, who was Nabta’s regional chairperson in Erongo, was fired by Nangombe earlier this year.Also on October 9 2006, Nangombe announced the suspension of three Nabta Executive members: National Secretary Vespa Muunda, Deputy National Treasurer Immanuel Ankambo and National Deputy Secretary Elvis Kauesa.Nangombe claims the five did not meet Nabta membership requirements and that they attended the 2005 congress held at Otjiwarongo through fraudulent means.But the five men argue that Nangombe’s actions were illegal, as he has no constitutional right to do so.”That can only be done by the congress or an extraordinary congress,” Nakathingo told The Namibian yesterday.They now want to be reinstated and have taken the matter to the Oshakati Magistrate’s Court, which recently issued a warrant for Nangombe’s arrest for contempt of court after he failed to attend a Labour Court hearing.When Muunda, Nakathingo, Kauesa and Ankambo entered the Nabta offices yesterday morning to have a meeting, Nabta office administrator Uapingena Karuaera told them to leave.Karuaera allegedly told them that he was instructed by Nangombe to chase them out.The group wanted Karuaera to put it to them in writing.The failed urgent meeting, which the four men said was for Nabta Executive members and regional chairpersons, was to prepare for the major Nabta meeting of executive members and regional chairpersons, set for tomorrow in Windhoek.They claimed Nangombe was also invited to yesterday’s failed meeting, but the Nabta President said that was news to him.He said the men were violating their suspension orders, as they are not supposed to participate in any Nabta activities.”They did not meet the requirements to be Nabta leaders and they entered the Congress through fraudulent means,” said Nangombe, adding that none of them even had a bus or a taxi.Nangombe said the association had approached its lawyers to inform the suspended members not to interfere in Nabta activities.”Even if the court ruled in their favour, we will oppose it,” he said, adding that, according to the Nabta constitution, the men cannot be reinstated unless the constitution is amended.”And that can only be done by the next Nabta congress, which will be in 2009,” he said.On the contempt of court charges, Nangombe said he was at the court on April 23, but left because it took too long for the case to be heard and he had to drive back to Windhoek that same day.The five were stripped of their positions last year.Pendapala Nakathingo, who was the Nabta chairman for the Oshana Region, was dismissed on October 9, while Willie Gariseb, who was Nabta’s regional chairperson in Erongo, was fired by Nangombe earlier this year.Also on October 9 2006, Nangombe announced the suspension of three Nabta Executive members: National Secretary Vespa Muunda, Deputy National Treasurer Immanuel Ankambo and National Deputy Secretary Elvis Kauesa.Nangombe claims the five did not meet Nabta membership requirements and that they attended the 2005 congress held at Otjiwarongo through fraudulent means.But the five men argue that Nangombe’s actions were illegal, as he has no constitutional right to do so.”That can only be done by the congress or an extraordinary congress,” Nakathingo told The Namibian yesterday.They now want to be reinstated and have taken the matter to the Oshakati Magistrate’s Court, which recently issued a warrant for Nangombe’s arrest for contempt of court after he failed to attend a Labour Court hearing.When Muunda, Nakathingo, Kauesa and Ankambo entered the Nabta offices yesterday morning to have a meeting, Nabta office administrator Uapingena Karuaera told them to leave.Karuaera allegedly told them that he was instructed by Nangombe to chase them out.The group wanted Karuaera to put it to them in writing.The failed urgent meeting, which the four men said was for Nabta Executive members and regional chairpersons, was to prepare for the major Nabta meeting of executive members and regional chairpersons, set for tomorrow in Windhoek.They claimed Nangombe was also invited to yesterday’s failed meeting, but the Nabta President said that was news to him.He said the men were violating their suspension orders, as they are not supposed to participate in any Nabta activities.”They did not meet the requirements to be Nabta leaders and they entered the Congress through fraudulent means,” said Nangombe, adding that none of them even had a bus or a taxi.Nangombe said the association had approached its lawyers to inform the suspended members not to interfere in Nabta activities.”Even if the court ruled in their favour, we will oppose it,” he said, adding that, according to the Nabta constitution, the men cannot be reinstated unless the constitution is amended.”And that can only be done by the next Nabta congress, which will be in 2009,” he said.On the contempt of court charges, Nangombe said he was at the court on April 23, but left because it took too long for the case to be heard and he had to drive back to Windhoek that same day.