Presidency responds to former New Era editor’s fears for press freedom, refers complaints to media ombudsman

… Presidency tells former New Era editor; union fears for media freedom

The Namibian Presidency has told New Era’s former managing editor, Johnathan Beukes, to take his complaints to the media ombudsman.

The Presidency was responding to Beukes speaking out about the threat of censorship and government influence on Namibia’s press.

He said the decisions made by the government immediately after president Hage Geingob’s death leave a lot to be desired.

“It has just been months since his unfortunate demise, and this government’s commitment to press freedom is clearly on the wane, considering the great lengths the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology has gone to muzzle New Era’s principled voice through a hare-brained proposed merger with Nampa,” Beukes said.

Presidential press secretary Alfredo Hengari in statement yesterday refuted Beukes’ claims.

“Mr Beukes is falsely implying that since then, president Nangolo Mbumba has not been a custodian of press freedom in the country. This implicit, if not explicit, claim is entirely false,” he said.

Hengari referred any claims of press freedom being threatened to the media ombudsman.

“Should there be any incidents where press freedom is undermined, grievances must be channelled through the relevant institutions of the state, including the Office of the Media Ombudsman,” he said.

‘IRONIC RANKING’

Meanwhile, Namibia Media Professionals Union (Nampu) acting secretary general Jemima Beukes yesterday referred to Namibia’s high press freedom ranking as “ironic”.

She said it no longer mirrors the true reality of the country’s media landscape.

This comes after Johnathan on Monday announced that he is no longer employed at New Era.

Jemima said the ministry’s insistence that its role “ends with the board and at policy level” is simply a convenient excuse to avoid accountability.

“This attempt to sidestep responsibility does little to restore public trust in the government’s relationship with public media,” she said in a statement yesterday.

Jemima said if the ministry truly values a free press, it must start with clear, transparent oversight and genuine independence.

She said stated press freedom cannot thrive under a system where the government influence hides behind the mask of “non-interference”.

“It’s time for real reforms to ensure that editorial independence is safeguarded and backed by meaningful accountability, not just lip service,” she said.

New Era chairperson John Sifani yesterday said he was not aware of the appointment of Confidence Musariri, Nampa’s commercial service head, as the publication’s new managing editor.

“I am not aware of that story. Ask [Linus] Chata,” he said.

Nampa chief executive Linus Chata confirmed Musariri’s appointment to Nampa’s staff members yesterday.

“His secondment has been made necessary by the evolving process of the merger between Nampa and New Era Publications Corporation.

“While the merger is not complete, there is an urgent need now at New Era that requires Mr Musariri’s services,” he said in an email.

Chata in the email said the merger is not complete, but Musariri’s services are urgently needed at New Era.

“Both entities believe this arrangement will smoothen operations into our shared and common future,” he wrote.
Chata made it clear that Musariri is not entirely divorced from Nampa.

“He will continue to be involved in most of Nampa’s strategic programmes and processes,” he said.

Musariri recently helped develop the government’s communications strategy.

New Era Publications Corporation (NEPC) chief executive Christof Maletsky did not respond to questions sent to him yesterday.

Chata said he was in a meeting and did not respond to questions sent to him.

In a statement released on Tuesday, the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology said its contact with public enterprises ends “with the board and at policy level”.

“The ministry would like to make it clear that it does not interfere in the internal affairs of NEPC,” the statement read.

It said government-funded media houses are self-regulated as much as privately owned entities.

The ministry highlighted Namibia’s “strong position on the Press Freedom Index, ranking second in Africa and 34th globally”.

Communications minister Emma Theofelus said Musariri’s appointment is above board.

“If I work at the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology, a secondment in my favour to go to the Ministry of Agriculture can be issued,” she said.

‘APPEAL CANCELLED’

Johnathan on Monday emphasised that New Era’s board’s decision to cancel an appeal against a High Court defamation decision would have a lasting negative impact on the entire media sector.

He was referring to a case in which a senior police officer won a defamation lawsuit against the state-owned newspaper in the Windhoek High Court in June.

Judge Orben Sibeya ordered NEPC and its newspaper to pay N$50 000 to Namibian Police commissioner Andreas Nelumbu, after finding that defamatory allegations against him had been published in an edition of the paper in September 2022.

“What is more troubling, however, is that the skill set on the current board would not allow them to recognise when they make a vacuous decision,” Johnathan said.

He urged minister of justice Yvonne Dausab to make public the findings of the investigation that discovered that 34% of magistrates qualify for appointment to the High Court.

“For the record, I did not resign but agreed with the company to part ways amicably,” Johnathan said.