President to release salary details

PRESIDENT Hage Geingob has promised to release details of his salary, those of his advisers and other politicians, to the public.

The President hinted before he travelled to the United States of America three weeks ago that he will declare his salary.

“When I said I did not know what my salary was, I was ridiculed. I meant it. Now I know my salary; very soon, I will declare it,” Geingob said at the media briefing at State House then.

Press secretary Albertus Aochamub told The Namibian yesterday that the President promised to provide the information as indicated once he returns from his US trip.

“As you have come to know the President, he has kept all the promises made in public to date, and this will be no different. I can undertake that all shall be shared in the fullness of time and as promised,” Aochamub stated.

The President’s executive director in his private office Etienne Maritz said 34% of Geingob’s salary goes to charity, such as the N$20 000 which goes to the One Economy Foundation for educational purposes, and N$30 000 to support specific vulnerable people in towns like Tsumeb, Otavi, Otjiwarongo, Grootfontein and Kalkfeld.

The beneficiaries are selected by the mayors in those towns, Maritz explained.

State House sources said Geingob informed some of his officials in August this year that he has decided to release details of his salary to the public.

Geingob’s decision to make his salary public will end the speculation on how much he earns.

Aochamub said the President’s salary and those of all Public Office Bearers are expected to be gazetted through government procedures.

News that Geingob gives 30% of his salary to charity also gives a hint at how much the President really earns.

The Namibian reported earlier this year that the President could earn around N$1,7 million per year (after the Presidential Remuneration Bill was passed into law), which is about 23% more than what former President Hifikepunye Pohamba earned.

Calculations show that the N$1,7 million per year means the President could earn an untaxed N$140 000 salary per month, without deducting the N$50 000 (34%) that goes to charity.

After the charity deductions, Geingob could earn anything around N$90 000 per month, or N$1,1 million per year. The President is likely to donate around N$600 000 to charity in 12 months.

“The contributions will be for the duration of his tenure as the President of the Republic of Namibia,” Aochamub said.

Asked whether the Presidency will update the country on Geingob’s charity work, Aochamub said the purpose of this charitable exercise was to encourage Namibians to share whatever little they have.

“This should not be misconstrued as a licence to demand public accounting for what is private earnings of a Namibian citizen.” he added.

According to him, the President will provide the update as he wishes.

Meanwhile, the President, who is scheduled to travel to South Africa this week, is set to host a media briefing today at State House when he will review the impact of his trip to the USA.

Aochamub said one notable achievement from Geingob’s 24-day trip to the USA was a “successful and highly over-subscribed” curtain-raiser event on 22 September in New York for the November 2016 Invest in Namibia Conference slated for Windhoek.

“We made provision for 100 business people, but had an additional 148 attending the event,” he noted.

According to the State House spin doctor, there is an indication of follow-up deals with business people, with three memoranda of understanding under consideration.

“At least 30 American and European business people also indicated that they want to visit Namibia soon and also attend the November investment conference in Windhoek,” he added.

Aochamub said media coverage was “tremendous”, but owing to limited time on the President’s schedule, not all could be accommodated.

He said his role was to select media houses, provide background briefings to journalists, as well as agree on the scope and focus with the assistance of the 22 September event organisers.

“One can never do this without the assistance of local experts in any locality around the world,” he said, which hints at suggestions that a media fixer was paid by the state to help set up these interviews.

Aochamub said the Ivy League universities of Harvard and Columbia also received the President warmly.