Stefanus Nashama
The British High Commission in Namibia has refuted allegations that a London-based entity funded the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC).
The British High Commissioner, Charles Moore, wrote a letter addressed to IPC’s leader, Panduleni Itula on Wednesday.
Moore clarified that Sarah Champion MP (UK) was not the author of the letters circulating on social media platforms.
“The letters were not written or circulated by Ms Champion or any other official within the International Development Committee(IDC). The content was entirely fabricated by third parties with the intent to misinform and discredit. The United Kingdom does not and would not offer support or funding to any political party in Namibia,” said Moore.
The high commissioner said his response was based on inquiries he conducted with the UK Clerks of the International Development Committee (IDC) and a direct conversation with Hon. Champion herself.
The fake letters claim that £750 000 and a fleet of vehicles were provided to the IPC through Itula.
However, Moore said the letters were fabricated and that they contained pure lies and unfounded accusations.
He stressed that no such funds from any foreign source or internal source have ever been transmitted through or to either the bank accounts of the IPC or Itula.
Moore said he had shared the same response with the Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation for clarity and transparency.
The IPC spokesperson, Imms Nashinge issued a statement on Thursday, calling on political party leaders to alleviate their embarrassment and present proof that their party receives funding from London.
The IPC called on leaders of political parties, who allege, directly or indirectly, in reliance on propaganda, to provide objective evidence that the party is London-funded.
“We also challenge the leaders of those political parties who exclaim that the IPC is London-funded to provide indisputable concrete evidence of such funding. We will happily grant them access to all our bank accounts,” Nashinge stated.
He also dismissed allegations made by the leader of the Namibia Society for Human Rights, Phil ya Nangolo, that Itula was a British citizen.
“We wish to assure the Namibian citizenry that Dr Itula, a registered veteran of the Namibian liberation struggle and a former political prisoner under the apartheid regime, has never applied for, nor was he ever granted, any citizenship of any country in the entire globe other than Namibian by birth,” he stressed.
Nashinge said if Itula was a British citizen, he could not participate in the 2019 presidential election or the processes of the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN).
“Foreign citizens, even those with dual citizenship, are not allowed, in accordance with the Electoral Act, Act 5 of 2014, to contest for the Presidency or to lead as President any political party in Namibia,” he explained.
He said such allegations highlight the desperate measures taken by IPC opponents, who resort to fabrications to distract from their failings and inability to convince the electorate.
He urged the Namibian nation to elicit true leaders who are focused on the real issues at hand.
This, he said, includes massive unemployment amongst the youth, poverty and hunger, water scarcity, systemic corruption, and massive inequality in wealth distribution.
“These are what the IPC and its leadership regard to be critical in bringing about change in the lives of Namibians,” said Nashinge.
