Erasmus Shalihaxwe
The president of the Association for Localised Interest (ASOLI) and former member of parliament Joseph Kauandenge has cautioned urban and rural development minister James Sankwasa against overreaching in his role.
He said the functions of ministers are outlined in the constitution, while the roles of regional and local authorities are clearly stated in various acts.
“The minister’s directives therefore must embody the spirit of separation of powers and, more importantly, recognise the aspect of decentralisation, where these entities must be allowed to make their own decisions, especially so on the side of councillors as elected leaders and representatives of their people,” he said on Wednesday in a media statement.
Kauandenge warned that ministers cannot make unilateral decisions that interfere with the daily operations of local authorities without first giving elected leaders the right to respond.
“The minister’s directives are not law in themselves, and they are prone to legal challenge, so they must be grounded in law first. Equally, the minister’s powers are not absolute; there are systems and processes that he must follow first before enforcing them,” he said.
Turning to the ongoing Namcor corruption case, Kauandenge said the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) must not become an institution used to settle political scores. While applauding the ACC for showing a willingness to act, he cautioned against political interference.
His warning coincides with that of the Affirmative Repositioning (AR) movement, which last week cautioned the ACC not to be used as a tool to fight “cartels” in which individuals battle each other for positions.
This follows the arrests of former National Petroleum Corporation of Namibia (Namcor) managing director Imms Mulunga, brothers Peter Elindi and Malakia Elindi of Enercon Namibia, and seven others by the ACC.
AR spokesperson George Kambala had said arrests and investigations too often appear during factional battles among elites.
“Having followed the recent arrest of prominent officials of Namcor, from court proceedings it is becoming very clear that the state seems to have acted with haste without digging deeper and making sure that it has a watertight case first. Corruption has become a norm within our state institutions for too long now, and previous administrations were seen wanting or lacking the political will to make sure that those found to have committed these acts are prosecuted,” Kauandenge said.
He said the system had protected corrupt individuals for too long, creating a culture where those in authority believed it was acceptable as long as they were not caught.
“It is imperative that a message must be sent in no uncertain terms that corruption is a cancer that must be done away with in our state institutions for good, and not only mere words. Such a message must be followed with actions, and no one will be spared regardless of their status in society. This selective prosecution and arrest of some while others are left to continue plundering our resources is counterproductive and of no use in the bigger scheme of things,” he said.
