NANSO president Ester Simon and national secretary for education, training and research, Efraim Paulus were on Monday removed from a student leaders’ meeting.
During the media briefing in Windhoek, Simon was ejected from the event by a faction led by the organisation’s vice president, Bernard Kavau.
The briefing, attended by Nanso leadership and student representatives from local institutions of higher learning, was intended to announce a peaceful demonstration against the Ministry of Higher Education, Training and Innovation and the Namibia Student Financial Assistance Fund in connection with the funding problems of the students.
The altercation comes a fortnight after former Nanso leader and All People’s Party (APP) president Ignatius Shixwameni called on the student body to revert to its former self and put student wishes and aspirations at the core of its activities.
The national spokesperson, Tyson Hihanguapo, the chairperson Simon Amunime and other members of the organisation accused Simon and Paulus of going to “State House alone and brought back no solution for the students, yet (they) sat around the table with president Hage Geingob”.
“SRCs (student representative councils) have called for the president of Nanso to step down due to differences and I believe the Nanso president no longer represents students’ interests and with that… we believe that before we start with the event, the president of Nanso is not welcomed here,” Hihanguapo announced before the briefing formally began.
Earlier this month, various SRCs called on Simon to vacate her position as she “cannot serve two masters – Geingob and the students”. Simon was appointed to the high level panel on the Namibian economy by Geingob last month, which was welcomed by Nanso at the time.
Both Simon and Paulus refused to leave and questioned whether the opposing group had the interests of students at heart when causing the commotion.
Hihanguapo responded repeatedly: “We do not want puppets here, can you please go out,” as Amunime removed the table in front of Paulus.
Eventually, Simon walked out and Paulus followed. An irate Simon afterwards said the politics within Nanso should never be at the cost of the students.
“We need to have unity of purpose where we put aside our personal differences and work together in the interest of students,” she said.
– Nampa
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