Crunch time for Swapo

NO holds are expected to be barred when the Swapo Party’s Politburo meets the youth wing tomorrow to discuss the controversy around the Millennium Challenge Account as well as an alleged trade-off involving Etosha National Park.

The Namibian has it on good authority that the party’s most senior people, the Swapo Party Elders’ Council, sent a delegation to President Hifikepunye Pohamba yesterday to establish what exactly is going on around the Etosha issue and to express their concerns about the Youth League, which they reportedly want called to order. Among those meeting Pohamba were reportedly SPEC secretary Kanana Hishoono and retired former minister Andimba Toivo ya Toivo.Sources said there were also attempts earlier to have the SPYL withdraw their public statements.They refused.In one incident, The Namibian understands, the SPYL was summoned by former President Sam Nujoma, who wanted to know why they were making the statements.The youth wing leaders reportedly presented their case to Nujoma with some documents and he let them off the hook.The Politburo is, among other things, expected to get a briefing from the SPYL on why they have been making public statements about Etosha National Park apparently being “sold to Americans” as part of the US government’s donor funding of US$305 million.The Youth League claimed that the Americans have attached strings to the multi-million dollar “grant”.Also to be discussed will be their statements on TransNamib and the youth wing’s calls on President Hifikepunye Pohamba to dismiss some Cabinet ministers – most notably Works Minister Helmut Angula.Angula was in the North this week to explain the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) grant to the party’s regional structures and traditional and regional authorities.”That was the last straw.He is now gone,” said one Swapo source yesterday.Angula has confirmed that he was in the North to meet stakeholders but an observer said by disregarding the structures and going straight to the grassroots, he also sent a clear sign that he is a man of his own thinking.”Unfortunately, he has reached a place of no return.What he did was suicidal.I think they will ask him to resign as Minister.In the party, I don’t know how long he will remain,” said the person.Due to Angula’s trip to the North and a communication gap, even his deputy was not present in Cabinet this week – something Pohamba did not take lightly.Angula went to the North because he was Director General of the National Planning Commission when the MCA agreement was pencilled.At the heart of the SPYL concern was an addendum to the original document which states that the Ministry of Environment will award two lodges or exclusive access concessions for Etosha National Park and an additional two lodges within other national parks in northern Namibia, with a minimum term of 10 years and allocated through competitive bidding, to private sector and conservancy joint ventures.Both the NPC and the American Embassy said the document in the hands of the Youth League was leaked before it was finalised.The final document, they said, stated that the lodges will be outside Etosha but there was nothing on selling the park to American investors.Some sources claimed that the Cabinet never discussed the MCA matter in detail.Angula tabled the MCA agreement in the National Assembly last week and it will be discussed next week Thursday.Among those meeting Pohamba were reportedly SPEC secretary Kanana Hishoono and retired former minister Andimba Toivo ya Toivo.Sources said there were also attempts earlier to have the SPYL withdraw their public statements.They refused. In one incident, The Namibian understands, the SPYL was summoned by former President Sam Nujoma, who wanted to know why they were making the statements.The youth wing leaders reportedly presented their case to Nujoma with some documents and he let them off the hook.The Politburo is, among other things, expected to get a briefing from the SPYL on why they have been making public statements about Etosha National Park apparently being “sold to Americans” as part of the US government’s donor funding of US$305 million.The Youth League claimed that the Americans have attached strings to the multi-million dollar “grant”.Also to be discussed will be their statements on TransNamib and the youth wing’s calls on President Hifikepunye Pohamba to dismiss some Cabinet ministers – most notably Works Minister Helmut Angula.Angula was in the North this week to explain the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) grant to the party’s regional structures and traditional and regional authorities.”That was the last straw.He is now gone,” said one Swapo source yesterday.Angula has confirmed that he was in the North to meet stakeholders but an observer said by disregarding the structures and going straight to the grassroots, he also sent a clear sign that he is a man of his own thinking.”Unfortunately, he has reached a place of no return.What he did was suicidal.I think they will ask him to resign as Minister.In the party, I don’t know how long he will remain,” said the person.Due to Angula’s trip to the North and a communication gap, even his deputy was not present in Cabinet this week – something Pohamba did not take lightly.Angula went to the North because he was Director General of the National Planning Commission when the MCA agreement was pencilled.At the heart of the SPYL concern was an addendum to the original document which states that the Ministry of Environment will award two lodges or exclusive access concessions for Etosha National Park and an additional two lodges within other national parks in northern Namibia, with a minimum term of 10 years and allocated through competitive bidding, to private sector and conservancy joint ventures.Both the NPC and the American Embassy said the document in the hands of the Youth League was leaked before it was finalised.The final document, they said, stated that the lodges will be outside Etosha but there was nothing on selling the park to American investors.Some sources claimed that the Cabinet never discussed the MCA matter in detail.Angula tabled the MCA agreement in the National Assembly last week and it will be discussed next week Thursday.