Observer Money

Uutoni, Jooste in the dark over NHE suspensions
16 Apr

Uutoni, Jooste in the dark over NHE suspensions

ObserverObserver Money
Rose-Mary Haufiku The two line ministers under which the National Housing Enterprise (NHE) falls under, Erastus Uutoni and Leone Jooste are not aware that the company’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Gisbertus Mukulu, had suspend four of the enterprise’s senior managers. Mukulu’s action, which has been seen as retaliation, comes after the managers had formally written a letter to company’s board chaired by recently appointed NamRa boss, Sam Shivute, questioning the CEO’s competence. Public Enterprises Minister, Leone Jooste whose ministry is charged with ensuring corporate governance is followed in government institutions, said he had not been consulted on the decision. “I…
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AstraZeneca finally arrives …as ministry misses vaccination target
16 Apr

AstraZeneca finally arrives …as ministry misses vaccination target

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Kandjemuni Kamuiiri Namibia is set to get more doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, with the much-awaited AstraZeneca expected to arrive in the country Friday morning. According to Health Ministry Deputy Executive Director, Petronella Masabane, the consignment will be the first of three tranches of doses the country will be expecting. “First tranche of 24 000 doses will be landing. Next week expecting more and the rest of the allocation in May from COVAX, also exploring other pipelines," Masabane said. The arrival of the vaccine, which is being sourced under COVAX facility, comes more than three months after it was initially…
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Chaos reigns in Parliament again …as Geingob delivers his state of the nation
16 Apr

Chaos reigns in Parliament again …as Geingob delivers his state of the nation

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Andrew Kathindi President Hage Geingob’s State of the Nation address (Sona) was brought to an unceremonious end when chaos broke out in Parliament on Thursday. Landless People’s Movement (LPM) leader, Bernardus Swatbooi, and the party’s second in charge, Henny Seibeb, where thrown out of Parliament during a question-and-answer session after the President had delivered his Sona. Seibeb appeared to have been removed by the President’s guards from the chambers after flinging documents in the direction of Geingob. According to the Speaker of the National Assembly, Peter Katjavivi, he foresaw this coming. "This has been coming for a while. I really…
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BoN Governor defends high bank charges
15 Apr

BoN Governor defends high bank charges

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Kandjemuni Kamuiiri Bank of Namibia (BoN) Governor, Johannes !Gawaxab, has come out in defence of existing high banking fees and charges,stating that it was not the role of the central bank to detect what should be charged. This comes amid concern that high bank charges and fees in the country are contributing to financial exclusion, as members of the public shy away from the formal banking system. “We need to be careful that we don’t go tell the banks ‘thou shall charge the following fees’ because if that happens then we have got issues with financial stability in the country…
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Swartbooi threatens to report PM to ACC
15 Apr

Swartbooi threatens to report PM to ACC

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Andrew Kathindi Landless People’s Movement (LPM) leader, Bernardus Swartbooi, is threatening to report Prime Minister, Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) over allegations that she illegally occupied a farm which she sold to Government. The Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform approved the purchase of two farms belonging to the Prime Minister to the tune of N$14 million. Swartbooi alleged that the Prime Minister illegally occupied the farms that were originally placed under her portfolio, but meant to be rehabilitated for resettlement of generational workers from the San Community. “Once we have acquired each and every part of…
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Ombudsman blames Jooste for SOE, August 26 mess
14 Apr

Ombudsman blames Jooste for SOE, August 26 mess

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Maria Hamutenya Ombudsman, John Walters, is partly blaming Public Enterprises Minister, Leon Jooste, for the current problems the country’s State Owned Enterprises are facing, in particular August 26. The Minister allegedly has not cooperated during an investigation by the Ombudsman into August 26, while also covering compliance of all public enterprises (PEs) with regards to submitting annual financial statements. The long serving Ombudsman said the Minister even ignored his recommendations, including those which called for August 26 to be audited. “He failed to do more, that’s the reason he did not implement my recommendations. In fact he did not even…
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I have failed – Sam Shivute . . . as employees demand NHE CEO exit
14 Apr

I have failed – Sam Shivute . . . as employees demand NHE CEO exit

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Kandjemuni Kamuiiri and Rose-Mary Haufiku National Housing Enterprise (NHE) Board Chairperson, Sam Shivute, has admitted failure in providing low cost housing. The admittance by the recently appointed NamRA Commissioner comes as the NHE is in crisis over the Board’s decision to renew Chief Executive Officer(CEO), Gisbertus Mukulu’s term for another five years amid allegations of incompetence. The former Okahao Town council CEO was appointed in 2016 without Cabinet’s approval, amidst assertion that former Omusati Governor, former Local Government minister, and current Swapo Secretary General, Sophia Shaningwa, had a hand in the appointment. “Yes, we did not build the 1250 houses…
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NHE board calls for crisis meeting
13 Apr

NHE board calls for crisis meeting

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Maria Hamutenya and Andrew Kathindi The National Housing Enterprise (NHE) Board has scheduled a crisis meeting with the organisation’s managers following the surfacing of a damning letter where they accused Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Gisbertus Mukulu, of incompetence. In the letter, company management stated that the employment contract of the CEO must not be renewed when it ends on 30 June, pointing out that since the appointment of Makulu as CEO, the NHE failed to achieve two critical objectives of its strategic plan, growing the loan book and building 1250 houses annually. According to the approved NHE strategic plan 2017-2022…
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Hatuikulipi, Shanghala plead privacy over smuggled cell phones
13 Apr

Hatuikulipi, Shanghala plead privacy over smuggled cell phones

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Andrew Kathindi The Fishrot accused James Hatuikulipi and former Justice Minister, Sacky Shanghala who were caught with smuggled phones two weeks ago at Windhoek Central, are stating that the gadgets were required to avoid their conversations being recorded by the correctional services’ recording system. Although it is unknown for how long the two have had the mobile phones, they were found in possession of two devices following a search of their cells after a report had been lodged by prison officers of suspicious activity by the two. “During the interviews with them, what they indicated is that they were using…
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COVID saves Govt millions in S&T
09 Apr

COVID saves Govt millions in S&T

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Kandjemuni Kamuiiri The restrictions on travel due to COVID-19 have saved government N$105.7 million in travel allowances. According to Ministry of Finance Spokesperson, Tonateni Shidhudhu, a 34.06 percent cost saving was achieved in 2020/2021 compared to the last financial year’s (2019/2020) expenditure. He added that a 56.81 percent saving had been achieved for the Daily Subsistence Allowance (DSA) compared to the last financial year. Shidhudhu said only 51.33 percent was spent, of which DSA gobbled up over N$105 million for the period April 2021 to December 2021, compared to the N$243,1 million ,of which 78.4 percent was spent from the…
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