Nashandi Explains Role In Ondangwa Trade Fair

VARIOUS articles have appeared in the print media mentioning and linking my name to inappropriate activities.

In the main, these articles appeared subsequent to a Trade Fair event that was held in Ondangwa. More recently, callers into some radio call-in programmes hurled much abuse and accusations at my person, again mainly with respect to the Trade Fair.Lately, there has been a lull.It might be that all they (my accusers and/or media informers) have had to say what has now been said.May I be forgiven in thinking that they have had a fair turn.I now wish to comment.First, I express my general distaste in addressing private disagreements via public platforms.As such, this correspondence is in no way a precedent.I publish this response due to the duress created by pronouncements already made public and which subsequently created a certain public perception against my person and/or the Ondangwa Trade Fair.Ondangwa Trade Fair cc is a private business entity.I am not aware of policies or conduct within the Trade Fair that would prohibit members from voicing concerns or renders as ineffective, attempts to mend discord in-house.To my knowledge, the following is the litany of main accusations appearing in the media, against my person: I have usurped the Ondangwa Town Council’s 55 per cent shares in the Ondangwa Trade Fair.This is false.This is what happened: I signed on the dotted line of the registration form, in my capacity then, as mayor, for my Town Council’s shares.I left the filling in of the rest of the form to my officials – who were shown by the accountant, through whose office the registration was done, how to complete the form.Such completion was indeed done and the completed form processed further as appropriate.The Fair eventually took place.After the Fair, rumour arose that I owned 55 per cent in my private capacity.For some time, it stayed as a rumour.One day, my deputy called me into office.He told me that the rumour is that Ondangwa Trade Fair cc is 55 per cent mine.I answered that it was not the case.He showed me the form where it indeed appeared as such.Thus, for the first time, I discovered that the official who completed the form had filled in the name space: “Priskila Nashandi”, instead of “Priskila Nashandi representing Ondangwa Town Council”.I do not know who this official is, nor do I know if the omission of the part “representing Ondangwa Town Council” was by error or by design.I do know though, up until this point, there was at no time whatsoever, any doubts that the 55 per cent shares I signed for were for the Ondangwa Town Council.I proceeded to explain to my deputy that I only signed the form for the Town Council, but did not fill in anything else.I pointed out that the form was blank when I signed it.I had a feeling that my deputy did not want to take my word for it.In my mind, I could of course not understand why an error that is so easy to correct would appear to touch some nerves so deeply.Actually, it seemed as if the error was by my hand or as if I somehow cooperated in bringing it about.Yet to date, I still do not know who among the officials completed the form and wish I could find out.Subsequently, I requested to be given the registration form.Upon receiving it, I decided to insist on a correction, so that the registration form complies with the idea as agreed to.I took the form to the same accountant’s office and requested them to amend the relevant entry appropriately.The registration form was subsequently amended to read: “Priskila Nashandi representing Ondangwa Town Council”.Somehow, my Council was not pleased with this amendment.It decided that it did not want my person to represent its shares.Rather, the Council preferred that such representation be by the acting CEO.I obliged.Subsequently, the acting CEO and I went to the accountant’s office and filled in yet again, registration forms reflective of the desired status.Still later, inexplicably, the CEO wrote a letter ‘withdrawing his signature’.The Town Council’s shares thus ended up in limbo.The above I hope, sheds some light on how I ended up being accused of “usurping the 55 per cent shares of the Council”.I am said to have stolen the entertainer The Dogg’s money, alternatively, I am said to have connived with him (somehow inflating his quote which was already higher than the rest) and, shared the money with him.Some variants of the rumour have it that I gave The Dogg 16.67 per cent of the money due to him and I kept the rest.This is false.Here’s the truth: Several quotations were received from several musicians.These quotes were in turn sent to various companies, among which, one was Coca-Cola, soliciting their kind assistance by way of sponsoring this particular (entertainment) event.It is true that The Dogg’s quote was higher than others.Coca-Cola graciously agreed to sponsor the event, and, among the quotations at hand, accepted The Dogg’s – the higher quotation.As it would turn out, at the last minute, after Coca-Cola had already agreed on a figure, The Dogg submitted an additional quote “for speaker system and for accommodation”.As time evolved, there happened to be some miscommunication between The Dogg and Fair organisers regarding The Dogg’s accommodation, causing a deviation from the original plan, subsequent to his (Dogg’s) arrival in Ondangwa.The latter two events (i.e.last-minute costs for equipment and last-minute accommodation re-arrangements) resulted in additional costs, on The Dogg’s bill total, but costs which Coca-Cola did not commit to.As a result, Coca-Cola paid for The Dogg in accordance with their undertaking.The additional costs where borne by the Trade Fair cc.I might comment here: The Dogg and Coca-Cola are known entities here in Namibia.I suppose, with their permission, you might seek to verify their side.I presume, if The Dogg felt someone had robbed him of his due (83 per cent?), he might seek justice.[Well, some in the grapevine have it that The Dogg is my relative and thus he somehow kept mum at the rip-off.I can only think that someone out there knows facts about The Dogg’s and my family that neither The Dogg nor I know of.] I also suspect Coca-Cola might have an interest in the case, should their money indeed have been misappropriated.It has always been a curiosity to me that the media never bothered to ‘assist’ either The Dogg or Coca-Cola to claim justice.I have been accused of: (i) stealing N$250 000 from the Fair; (ii) non-payment of fees for services; (iii) stealing the Trade Fair property; and (iv) having my husband not pay for the stand he occupied and also giving him N$1 600 from the Fair’s funds.This too is false.The Trade Fair has a cheque account.Each cheque requires at least two signatures.No cheque of such amount (N$250 000) went through the account.Further, the takings from the gate, registration fees or from any other source/event had people appointed as responsible persons – all of them from the Finance Department of the Ondangwa Town Council.I was not one of these responsible persons.Nor was I appointed to receive money from any of such responsible persons.I might note here that I was the Mayor at the time and in the understanding that my involvement was on behalf of my Town Council, kept my role consistent to this level.I did not, as a rule, handle money, just as I did not do so in my normal role as Mayor in the Town Council.Regarding non-payment for services, I do not know of any that I did not pay for (nor has anyone helped to list such services to me) which I should have paid for.Further, for his stand, my husband had paid by cheque, which has indeed gone through the Fair’s books.Again, a comment: It appears it is principally from my alleged theft of N$250 000, that some media have referred to my person as corrupt.I am accused of awarding a tender for electrical services, alternatively, “choosing” to have electrical services installed by someone, at a higher cost and somehow, electrical materials/equipment which, after the Fair, will not become the property of the Fair.Presumably, there was a cheaper option and this cheaper option was such that the electrical materials/equipment will, after the Fair, become the Fair’s property.This is false.Notice, the Fair’s activities were decided upon, not by one person, i.e.me or anybody else, but by the Steering Committee.To my recollection, there were two quotes: One of N$42 000, for the material, but exclusive of labour and another of N$22 000, material and labour.In terms of political correctness, it would have been desirable to give the work to a previously disadvantaged person.Unfortunately, the quote from such business was materially different from the competing business.The Steering Committee – not Priskila Nashandi – decided to accept the lower quote, i.e.N$22 000 versus N$42 000 plus an unknown amount in labour.Please note: (i) NO quote specified permanence or later withdrawal of electrical equipment/material, nor did the Steering Committee set such a criteria; (ii) the grounds we held the Fair on were not the property of the Fair.It would not have made terrible sense to install permanent fixtures on someone’s the property.In the end, the Fair paid more than the figure of N$22 000 for these services, but still less than N$42 000.Why? Because (i) the number of stands originally quoted for (to be powered) increased by more than 20 per cent; (ii) the specifications (i.e.one plug outlet/stand etc.) changed with some of the stands – increasing the cost.The final bill was found justifiable and the Fair paid.I hope this clears the air somewhat and I thank you for printing these corrections.P.K.Nashandi OndangwaMore recently, callers into some radio call-in programmes hurled much abuse and accusations at my person, again mainly with respect to the Trade Fair.Lately, there has been a lull.It might be that all they (my accusers and/or media informers) have had to say what has now been said.May I be forgiven in thinking that they have had a fair turn.I now wish to comment.First, I express my general distaste in addressing private disagreements via public platforms.As such, this correspondence is in no way a precedent.I publish this response due to the duress created by pronouncements already made public and which subsequently created a certain public perception against my person and/or the Ondangwa Trade Fair.Ondangwa Trade Fair cc is a private business entity.I am not aware of policies or conduct within the Trade Fair that would prohibit members from voicing concerns or renders as ineffective, attempts to mend discord in-house.To my knowledge, the following is the litany of main accusations appearing in the media, against my person: I have usurped the Ondangwa Town Council’s 55 per cent shares in the Ondangwa Trade Fair.This is false.This is what happened: I signed on the dotted line of the registration form, in my capacity then, as mayor, for my Town Council’s shares.I left the filling in of the rest of the form to my officials – who were shown by the accountant, through whose office the registration was done, how to complete the form.Such completion was indeed done and the completed form processed further as appropriate.The Fair eventually took place.After the Fair, rumour arose that I owned 55 per cent in my private capacity.For some time, it stayed as a rumour.One day, my deputy called me into office.He told me that the rumour is that Ondangwa Trade Fair cc is 55 per cent mine.I answered that it was not the case.He showed me the form where it indeed appeared as such.Thus, for the first time, I discovered that the official who completed the form had filled in the name space: “Priskila Nashandi”, instead of “Priskila Nashandi representing Ondangwa Town Council”.I do not know who this official is, nor do I know if the omission of the part “representing Ondangwa Town Council” was by error or by design.I do know though, up until this point, there was at no time whatsoever, any doubts that the 55 per cent shares I signed for were for the Ondangwa Town Council.I proceeded to explain to my deputy that I only signed the form for the Town Council, but did not fill in anything else.I pointed out that the form was blank when I signed it.I had a feeling that my deputy did not want to take my word for it.In my mind, I could of course not understand why an error that is so easy to correct would appear to touch some nerves so deeply.Actually, it seemed as if the error was by my hand or as if I somehow cooperated in bringing it about.Yet to date, I still do not know who among the officials completed the form and wish I could find out.Subsequently, I requested to be given the registration form.Upon receiving it, I decided to insist on a correction, so that the registration form complies with the idea as agreed to.I took the form to the same accountant’s office and requested them to amend the relevant entry appropriately.The registration form was subsequently amended to read: “Priskila Nashandi representing Ondangwa Town Council”.Somehow, my Council was not pleased with this amendment.It decided that it did not want my person to represent its shares.Rather, the Council preferred that such representation be by the acting CEO.I obliged.Subsequently, the acting CEO and I went to the accountant’s office and filled in yet again, registration forms reflective of the desired status.Still later, inexplicably, the CEO wrote a letter ‘withdrawing his signature’.The Town Council’s shares thus ended up in limbo.The above I hope, sheds some light on how I ended up being accused of “usurping the 55 per cent shares of the Council”.I am said to have stolen the entertainer The Dogg’s money, alternatively, I am said to have connived with him (somehow inflating his quote which was already higher than the rest) and, shared the money with him.Some variants of the rumour have it that I gave The Dogg 16.67 per cent of the money due to him and I kept the rest.This is false.Here’s the truth: Several quotations were received from several musicians.These quotes were in turn sent to various companies, among which, one was Coca-Cola, soliciting their kind assistance by way of sponsoring this particular (entertainment) event.It is true that The Dogg’s quote was higher than others.Coca-Cola graciously agreed to sponsor the event, and, among the quotations at hand, accepted The Dogg’s – the higher quotation.As it would turn out, at the last minute, after Coca-Cola had already agreed on a figure, The Dogg submitted an additional quote “for speaker system and for accommodation”.As time evolved, there happened to be some miscommunication between The Dogg and Fair organisers regarding The Dogg’s accommodation, causing a deviation from the original plan, subsequent to his (Dogg’s) arrival in Ondangwa.The latter two events (i.e.last-minute costs for equipment and last-minute accommodation re-arrangements) resulted in additional costs, on The Dogg’s bill total, but costs which Coca-Cola did not commit to.As a result, Coca-Cola paid for The Dogg in accordance with their undertaking.The additional costs where borne by the Trade Fair cc.I might comment here: The Dogg and Coca-Cola are known entities here in Namibia.I suppose, with their permission, you might seek to verify their side.I presume, if The Dogg felt someone had robbed him of his due (83 per cent?), he might seek justice.[Well, some in the grapevine have it that The Dogg is my relative and thus he somehow kept mum at the rip-off.I can only think that someone out there knows facts about The Dogg’s and my family that neither The Dogg nor I know of.] I also suspect Coca-Cola might have an interest in the case, should their money indeed have been misappropriated.It has always been a curiosity to me that the media never bothered to ‘assist’ either The Dogg or Coca-Cola to claim justice.I have been accused of: (i) stealing N$250 000 from the Fair; (ii) non-payment of fees for services; (iii) stealing the Trade Fair property; and (iv) having my husband not pay for the stand he occupied and also giving him N$1 600 from the Fair’s funds.This too is false.The Trade Fair has a cheque account.Each cheque requires at least two signatures.No cheque of such amount (N$250 000) went through the account.Further, the takings from the gate, registration fees or from any other source/event had people appointed as responsible persons – all of them from the Finance Department of the Ondangwa Town Council.I was not one of these responsible persons.Nor was I appointed to receive money from any of such responsible persons.I might note here that I was the Mayor at the time and in the understanding that my involvement was on behalf of my Town Council, kept my role consistent to this level.I did not, as a rule, handle money, just as I did not do so in my normal role as Mayor in the Town Council.Regarding non-payment for services, I do not know of any that I did not pay for (nor has anyone helped to list such services to me) which I should have paid for.Further, for his stand, my husband had paid by cheque, which has indeed gone through the Fair’s books.Again, a comment: It appears it is principally from my alleged theft of N$250 000, that some media have referred to my person as corrupt.I am accused of awarding a tender for electrical services, alternatively, “choosing” to have electrical services installed by someone, at a higher cost and somehow, electrical materials/equipment which, after the Fair, will not become the property of the Fair.Presumably, there was a cheaper option and this cheaper option was such that the electrical materials/equipment will, after the Fair, become the Fair’s property.This is false.Notice, the Fair’s activities were decided upon, not by one person, i.e.me or anybody else, but by the Steering Committee.To my recollection, there were two quotes: One of N$42 000, for the material, but exclusive of labour and another of N$22 000, material and labour.In terms of political correctness, it would have been desirable to give the work to a previously disadvantaged person.Unfortunately, the quote from such business was materially different from the competing business.The Steering Committee – not Priskila Nashandi – decided to accept the lower quote, i.e.N$22 000 versus N$42 000 plus an unknown amount in labour.Please note: (i) NO quote specified permanence or later withdrawal of electrical equipment/material, nor did the Steering Committee set such a criteria; (ii) the grounds we held the Fair on were not the property of the Fair.It would not have made terrible sense to install permanent fixtures on someone’s the property.In the end, the Fair paid more than the figure of N$22 000 for these services, but still less than N$42 000.Why? Because (i) the number of stands originally quoted for (to be powered) increased by more than 20 per cent; (ii) the specifications (i.e.one plug outlet/stand etc.) changed with some of the stands – increasing the cost.The final bill was found justifiable and the Fair paid.I hope this clears the air somewhat and I thank you for printing these corrections.P.K.Nashandi Ondangwa