Sostenus Wilherm
The suspension of Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) Eenhana Satellite Campus SRC vice president, Rebbeus Hashiyana has escalated into a dispute over student leadership, due process and the circumstances surrounding a media briefing at the campus.
Hashiyana denied that he invited media houses and accused the SRC of suspending him before hearing his side of the story.
Hashiyana, who is responsible for representing students at the NUST centres in the northern regions, told the Windhoek Observer that his suspension stems from what he described as a misunderstanding over the presence of media at the Eenhana campus press conference.
He insists he neither invited media houses nor authorised the invitation circulating on social media, which he says has been used to link him to the briefing.
“Of course, I am suspended because of the misunderstanding which is saying that I invited media houses to come for the press conference, and I did not invite any media house. Let me make it categorically clear, I did not invite any media house,” Hashiyana said.
He disputed the authenticity of the invitation that circulated online, saying it did not originate from his office and did not carry his signature or official stamp.
Hashiyana said media personnel were present on campus on 22 July but maintained that their presence did not establish that he had invited them.
According to him, the individuals were NUST students studying Communication and Linguistics who were gathering content as part of their academic work. He argued that they were entitled to be on campus and perform their duties as student journalists.
“There is a statement that was circulating on social media which is an invitation to the media, but that invitation is not published by my office, neither is there my signature or stamp that shows that it is me,” he said.
Hashiyana’s version directly challenges the position of NUST SRC president Jerome !Nanuseb, who said the disciplinary action followed a media briefing conducted without the knowledge of the SRC president, the executive committee or the broader Eenhana Satellite Campus SRC.
In a statement issued on Monday, !Nanuseb stressed that the disciplinary process was not a finding that the concerns raised by Eenhana students were illegitimate, but rather an inquiry into whether Hashiyana complied with the constitutional responsibilities attached to his position.
“The current disciplinary process is therefore not a determination on the legitimacy of the concerns raised. Rather, it concerns whether the constitutional responsibilities attached to office bearers within the SRC were duly observed,” !Nanuseb said.
He said the SRC is a collective institution and that public communication and media engagements on matters affecting the university and its students are expected to be coordinated through established governance structures.
According to !Nanuseb, such procedures are intended to ensure accountability, collective decision-making and coherent representation.
The SRC president further said the Eenhana Satellite Campus SRC unanimously resolved to suspend Hashiyana under Article 3.5(1) of the SRC Constitution, which provides for suspension through a motion of censure where there are allegations of constitutional infringements or conduct that may render a member unfit to continue exercising the responsibilities of office, pending applicable institutional processes.
Hashiyana, however, questions whether he was afforded a fair opportunity to respond before the suspension was imposed.
He said he received two suspension decisions, including one that prevented him from travelling to Windhoek and subsequently to South Africa for an SRC tour where he was expected to represent the university.
He said the reason given for excluding him was to allow an investigation to proceed while he remained in Namibia.
“They suspend me for further investigation because they believe that they cannot investigate me while I am abroad,” Hashiyana said, adding that he believes the decision should have followed an opportunity for him to explain his side.
Despite his objections, Hashiyana said he is prepared to cooperate with the investigation and wants the process to be conducted fairly.
He said he was interviewed earlier this week and would submit his written statement, with the outcome of the investigation expected next week.
“I am willing and I will cooperate with the investigation. I want justice, I want everything to be impartial,” he said.
At the centre of the dispute are wider concerns raised by students at the Eenhana campus. Hashiyana maintains that his decision to advocate publicly was driven by problems affecting students and not by a desire to undermine the SRC leadership.
He said the university has itself acknowledged that the concerns raised require attention, arguing that this validates the substance of the issues he has been highlighting.
“The good part is that the University also revealed that the concerns that we raised are indeed concerns with what is happening on the ground and they require more and immediate attention,” Hashiyana said.
The SRC, however, has maintained that the concerns raised by Eenhana students remain a priority. !Nanuseb said the matters “are deserving of urgent attention” and assured students that they would continue to be pursued through institutional channels.
He also announced plans to visit the Eenhana Satellite Campus to engage directly with students and the campus SRC, assess progress and ensure that legitimate concerns are followed through to resolution.
“If you were elected by people, meaning that there is a potential that people see in you, you should accept all the situations that are going to happen,” he said.
Despite the suspension, Hashiyana said he remains confident because his mandate came from students.
“I remain confident and I remain solid. I was elected and I did not appoint myself in the office. I will not disappoint my people until they reveal the truth if they are honest with what they are doing,” he said.
