Swapo candidate Dino Ballotti rejoins NIPDB amid campaign speculation

… as Swapo campaign enters final lap

The appointment of Swapo parliamentary candidate Dino Ballotti to the Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB) is allegedly intended to give him time to campaign for the ruling party.

Ballotti worked at the NIPDB from May 2021 to August 2024.

He joined FNB Namibia on 15 August this year.

Ballotti officially became a ruling party politician last month when Swapo vice president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah picked him as one of eight candidates to represent Swapo in the parliament.

The banker has now returned to the NIPDB for a six-month stint before he goes to parliament.

It appears FNB Namibia was reluctant to accommodate the politically exposed Ballotti.

The move back to the NIPDB has begged the question whether the correct appointing procedures were followed, and why the politician was hand-picked for the role at the investment board.

This comes three years after the media reported on ‘jobs for friends’ at the board.

NIPDB chief executive Nangula Uaandja told staff members on Monday that Ballotti would be rejoining the investment board as of yesterday.

She told staff members she knew that Ballotti’s stint at FNB could be challenging for him after being announced as a parliamentary candidate for the ruling party.

During her staff address, Uaandja said Balotti told her he tried to work things out with FNB, “but because of his schedule . . . for now, he needs to run around, and it looked like it was not working out”.

Uaandja said Ballotti’s return was approved by the board’s executive management. She said the NIPDB is looking for an executive director, with interviews slated for November.

This process could be drawn out until next year, she said.

Uaandja said she had four key assignments for Ballotti within six months.

These include expanding outreach to small and medium businesses.

Additionally, Ballotti will be tasked with leading a project at Swakopmund, conducting a feasibility study for establishing a market where small and medium businesses can sell traditional food.

Speaking to The Namibian yesterday, Ballotti referred questions to the NIPDB.

“I’d prefer if the organisation responded. I will share your message with the officially mandated spokesperson,” he said.

Questions sent to the NIPDB yesterday were not responded to.

Namibian Sun yesterday reported that Ballotti confirmed his exit from FNB Namibia, and that he has rejoined the investment board.

“Banks in general are apolitical . . . no different [with] FNB,” he said.

“After the announcement of my name on the Swapo list, the leadership of the bank and I had a conversation where it was mutually agreed that I would be redeployed in the business to safeguard any risk and perceived risk, owing to my portfolio which oversaw both business and public sector banking,” he said.

“After a few weeks, I decided that it was in the best interest of all parties for me to resign. The bank was supportive of the announcement to my final day, and I appreciate the leadership for how they handled everything.

“I only have good things to say about FNB,” Ballotti said.

He added that he left the NIPDB on great terms, and will always remain a supporter and proponent of the mandate and work undertaken by the board.

“After informing [Uaandja] of my decision to step down at the bank, she enquired about my availability to rejoin and see through a few projects … I will be doing contract work for the NIPDB, with very clear deliverables set out,” he said.