The Namibian Defence Force is not your private army – LPM

LANDLESS People’s Movement leader Bernadus Swartbooi has accused defence minister Peter Hafeni Vilho of aligning with China and attempting to divert attention from the corruption scandal that has rocked the ruling party.

Swartbooi made these remarks in a letter sent to the minister of defence and veterans affairs on 2 September 2020.

The letter comes two weeks after Vilho accused the LPM leader of acting like a US puppet.

Swartbooi had asked Vilho in another letter last month whether it was true that Chinese soldiers have been permanently deployed at Namibian military bases such as Rundu, Grootfontein and Keetmanshoop.

He also asked the minister whether it is true that Namibia has become a political battleground between China and the US.

“What political, ideological, economic and social calculations has the Namibian government made in drawing Namibia and her citizens into such a battleground of superpowers,” Swartbooi said.

Swartbooi then copied the Chinese and US embassies in on the letter.

“[You] open yourself to a legitimate charge of being an American lackey rather than a representative of the Namibian people in their sovereign National Assembly whose political processes must be sacrosanct and in their sole interests,” Vilho wrote to Swartbooi on 25 August 2020.

Swartbooi did not take kindly to these allegations and wrote another letter, alleging that Vilho climbed the ladder of political power through his family connections.

The LPM leader said Vilho’s decision to single out the US is a sign of choice.

“You seem to rubbish the US and embrace China,” Swartbooi said.

“Your hatred for the US is exposed. In one breath you despise the US, yet conclude by stating you have cordial relations with the US. This is contradictory, I am sure your appointing authority will look into this matter and reprimand you. You are unfit to be a minister.”

Swartbooi asked Vilho whether Namibian presidents who accepted the US to set up an embassy in Namibia are also puppets.

The defence minister appeared to have spread fear among soldiers last week when he warned them about regime change claims.

“The reason I’m telling you this is because there is a concerted effort to infiltrate your ranks. Those who are advocating regime change know that the defence force is the last bastion and the most important pillar of our nation,” Vilho said.

Swartbooi told Vilho in this week’s letter: “The Namibian Defence Force is not your private army, it is not your personal fiefdom. It belongs to all Namibians. Don’t think for one moment you can manipulate them all.”

He reminded the defence minister that the Constitution specifically warns against colonialism.

China controls Africa, the LPM leader said.

“Analyse the symbiotic relationship between president Hage Geingob, Jack Huang, and [police chief] Sebastian Ndeitunga. Your politics are ethnocentric, stale and catatonic,” Swartbooi said.

“Today, Namibia’s national economy is literally controlled through rent-seeking, patronage, capturing of resources and state capture,” he said.

According to him, foreign elements and companies have eroded the national economy and dragged it to the brink of bankruptcy for 30 years.

“This is sickening. Top management of the defence ministry are deeply involved at every level. Hence your desperate and abortive attempt to silence lawmakers and honest but critical private sector operations.”

Swartbooi added: “Take your hands off white Namibians. They don’t owe you anything.”

“You are of the view that you will gain black solidarity through white hatred – you are wrong. You want to divert attention away from Swapo corruption, mismanagement of state resources and grand theft by making white Namibians the scapegoat,” the opposition party leader said.

The former //Kharas government warned Vilho that black Namibians are slowly awakened by the dirty dealings of their leaders.

The defence minister yesterday declined to comment on Swartbooi’s letter, saying he already answered his first correspondence which contained questions about China.