Etosha consumes Swapo

Minister accused of flouting party rules

THE controversial Millennium Challenge Account continues to cause discontent within Swapo, with the latest development being that Works Minister Helmut Angula is going around in the North to explain the deal to communities. Swapo insiders say the party is “very disturbed” by Angula’s unilateral decision to tour the northern regions to explain what the document contains.He apparently did not consult the party before leaving for the North but had approached its local structures to attend the meetings.Angula confirmed yesterday that he had been to Kavango and Ohangwena and parts of Oshikoto to explain the document to communities.”It is not necessarily Swapo structures but all stakeholders,” Angula told The Namibian when it was put to him that he had no approval from the Swapo Party Secretary General’s office on the trip.Sources in the party charge that Angula was supposed to inform the national leaders assigned to the regions that he visited in addition to contacting Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana, Secretary General of Swapo.”What we find disturbing is the fact that he is no longer the Director General of the National Planning Commission but has taken it upon himself to do that.He has a lot to answer,” a source charged.The Namibian has seen a letter Angula wrote to one of the party’s regional co-ordinators directly asking the person to arrange a meeting with the Swapo regional executive.Angula has met the traditional authorities of Oukwanyama, Uukwangula, Uukwaluudhi and Ongandjera as well as Swapo regional executives and regional councils of Ohangwena, Oshana, Omusati and Kunene.In each of the meeting the topics were roads and the MCA agreement.Swapo insiders feel that Angula should first have consulted the Minister of Regional and Local Government, as the regional councils and traditional authorities fall under him.Angula is accompanied by his new personal assistant, Immanuel Shipanga.He told The Namibian that they should be back in Windhoek before the end of the week.Angula’s trip to the North came despite a meeting scheduled for tomorrow between the ruling party’s Politburo and the Swapo Party Youth League (SPYL).A source who attended one of the meetings in the North claimed Angula blamed the SPYL for the controversy surrounding the MCA and allegations of a trade-off with Etosha.”He told us that the youth want the South African scenario to repeat itself in Namibia,” said one person.Revelations about Angula’s trip came as NBC TV had to cancel Monday’s talk show at the last minute over differences about who must feature on it.The Namibian understands that the SPYL send their “honorary member” Kazenambo Kazenambo to represent them and the American embassy decided to pull out.NBC TV was forced to re-run last week’s ‘Talk of the Nation’ show.Meanwhile, the Omaheke branch of SPYL have endorsed the stance taken by their national leaders and called on Parliament to reject the agreement which Angula tabled last week.”Our poverty is not an excuse to auction our national treasures such as Etosha and other national parks,” the regional youth wing said.Last week, Namibia and the United States denied any trade-off of Etosha.They said the document that sparked controversy over lodge concessions in the Etosha National Park had been leaked before the details had been finalised.The controversy erupted after a document was leaked, which said that the Ministry of Environment would award two lodges or exclusive access concessions for Etosha 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.SPYL leaders said that alone had cast doubt over the money given by the US government, as it was not clear whether it opened a door for American investors to take over Namibia’s prime tourism area.The Millennium Challenge Account is injecting US$305 million in donor funding into Namibia.The Director General of the National Planning Commission, Peter Katjavivi, yesterday said there were “no hidden agendas …no sinister plans” attached to the grant.He said the final document specified that the lodges would be built outside Etosha.Swapo insiders say the party is “very disturbed” by Angula’s unilateral decision to tour the northern regions to explain what the document contains.He apparently did not consult the party before leaving for the North but had approached its local structures to attend the meetings.Angula confirmed yesterday that he had been to Kavango and Ohangwena and parts of Oshikoto to explain the document to communities.”It is not necessarily Swapo structures but all stakeholders,” Angula told The Namibian when it was put to him that he had no approval from the Swapo Party Secretary General’s office on the trip.Sources in the party charge that Angula was supposed to inform the national leaders assigned to the regions that he visited in addition to contacting Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana, Secretary General of Swapo.”What we find disturbing is the fact that he is no longer the Director General of the National Planning Commission but has taken it upon himself to do that.He has a lot to answer,” a source charged.The Namibian has seen a letter Angula wrote to one of the party’s regional co-ordinators directly asking the person to arrange a meeting with the Swapo regional executive.Angula has met the traditional authorities of Oukwanyama, Uukwangula, Uukwaluudhi and Ongandjera as well as Swapo regional executives and regional councils of Ohangwena, Oshana, Omusati and Kunene.In each of the meeting the topics were roads and the MCA agreement. Swapo insiders feel that Angula should first have consulted the Minister of Regional and Local Government, as the regional councils and traditional authorities fall under him.Angula is accompanied by his new personal assistant, Immanuel Shipanga.He told The Namibian that they should be back in Windhoek before the end of the week.Angula’s trip to the North came despite a meeting scheduled for tomorrow between the ruling party’s Politburo and the Swapo Party Youth League (SPYL).A source who attended one of the meetings in the North claimed Angula blamed the SPYL for the controversy surrounding the MCA and allegations of a trade-off with Etosha.”He told us that the youth want the South African scenario to repeat itself in Namibia,” said one person.Revelations about Angula’s trip came as NBC TV had to cancel Monday’s talk show at the last minute over differences about who must feature on it.The Namibian understands that the SPYL send their “honorary member” Kazenambo Kazenambo to represent them and the American embassy decided to pull out.NBC TV was forced to re-run last week’s ‘Talk of the Nation’ show.Meanwhile, the Omaheke branch of SPYL have endorsed the stance taken by their national leaders and called on Parliament to reject the agreement which Angula tabled last week.”Our poverty is not an excuse to auction our national treasures such as Etosha and other national parks,” the regional youth wing said.Last week, Namibia and the United States denied any trade-off of Etosha.They said the document that sparked controversy over lodge concessions in the Etosha National Park had been leaked before the details had been finalised.The controversy erupted after a document was leaked, which said that the Ministry of Environment would award two lodges or exclusive access concessions for Etosha 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.SPYL leaders said that alone had cast doubt over the money given by the US government, as it was not clear whether it opened a door for American investors to take over Namibia’s prime tourism area.The Millennium Challenge Account is injecting US$305 million in donor funding into Namibia.The Director General of the National Planning Commission, Peter Katjavivi, yesterday said there were “no hidden agendas …no sinister plans” atta
ched to the grant.He said the final document specified that the lodges would be built outside Etosha.