Nujoma backs Esau – again

FORMER President Sam Nujoma has once again rejected the proposed plan to mine marine phosphate in Namibia, and he will campaign against it for as long as he is alive.

Nujoma’s rejection of phosphate mining is a sign that he is supporting fisheries minister Bernhard Esau, who appears to have less support from his colleagues in Cabinet.

Nujoma made the remarks at Swapo’s policy conference in Windhoek when he was addressing ruling party members on policy matters of the party.

His remarks came after the environmental commissioner issued the green light to a private company to commence with phosphate mining from Namibia’s seabed to produce fertilisers that would be sold to the international market.

Several sources who attended the closed-door conference said Nujoma said he will not support phosphate mining because it will affect the marine resources which need to be preserved for future generations. In fact, Nujoma is said to have urged young people to have ambitions in order to study Namibia’s marine life.

According to those in the know, Nujoma said phosphate mining should be condemned, and that companies which want to mine it should do it in their home countries.

Sources said Nujoma’s comments were met with applause from Swapo leaders who attended the meeting.

“He (Nujoma) said the government should not gamble with the future of our children,” a source added.

Former President Hifikepunye Pohamba, who chaired the meeting, is said to have asked for the affirmation of Nujoma’s comments.

Sources close to the former President said the leader did not want to make the statement in public outside a Swapo meeting which was discussing policies of the ruling party. Making a public statement against phosphate mining would have sent the wrong message of Nujoma clashing with President Hage Geingob, who lured the fertiliser company to Namibia in 2013.

“But it’s his (Nujoma) opinion. That’s why we are in a democracy,” a source noted.

These comments by Nujoma is a repeat of what he said in 2013 when he rejected marine phosphate mining, and supported fisheries minister Bernard Esau’s stance against the project.

New Era quoted Nujoma in 2013 as saying “These imperialists think we Africans are stupid, and they want to destroy our fisheries resources – which is the future of our children. They must go back to Australia,” he charged.

At the time, Namibia Marine Phosphate was owned by Australian companies Minemakers and UCL Resource, and Namibian black economic empowerment outfit Tungeni Africa Investments.

Those three companies sold 100% of their shares in 2014 to a joint venture company now owned by the Omani billionaire Al Barwani and broker Knowledge Katti.

President Hage Geingob was not present at the Swapo meeting when Nujoma denounced phosphate mining. It is not clear whether the anti-phosphate comments by Nujoma will be agreed to as a policy that needs to be implemented by the government.

Unlike in Cabinet where a cabal of ministers are pushing for phosphate mining at all costs, sources said they did not speak in favour of the controversial mining project at the policy conference at all.

The discussion on phosphate mining in Namibian waters is not new. Former Swapo Party Youth League secretary Elijah Ngurare said the phosphate issue was debated back in 2012. Swapo secretary general Nangolo Mbumba said last week that the party will support the government on any decision it takes on phosphate mining, but warned that the final decision should be based on the constitutional values of protecting the environment.