Venaani questions govt’s new fleet of luxury vehicles

Popular Democratic Movement leader McHenry Venaani has demanded clarity on reports of new government vehicles.

“Government officials are seen being driven in luxury flashy new cars,” said Venaani on Tuesday during the opening of the eighth parliament in Windhoek, posing questions to minister of works and transport Veikko Nekundi.

Venaani alleged that there had been a noticeable increase in sightings of “luxury” vehicles mobilised for official government use.

This trend, Venaani said, raises questions regarding the government’s procurement policies for official vehicles, especially in the context of ongoing fiscal constraints and the need for prudent public expenditure.

“Given this context, it is imperative to seek clarification on the government’s policy regarding the acquisition of official vehicles and to ascertain whether recent purchases, should there have been any, align with principles of fiscal responsibility and transparency,” he said.

Venaani said if the government has procured new vehicles for official use, Nekundi should provide details of the type and number of vehicles purchased, their total costs and the budgetary allocation from which funds were sourced.

He questioned whether there are measures in place to ensure that vehicle procurement is cost-effective, transparent and aligned with fiscal prudence and accountability.

At the first Cabinet meeting held on Tuesday, president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah told ministers that the government has nothing to hide from the public and should exercise transparency at all times.