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NOTHING WRONG: Deputy health minister, Esther Muinjangue.
NOTHING WRONG: Deputy health minister, Esther Muinjangue.

Muinjangue defends use of state vehicle for OTA event

Ogone Tlhage
Deputy health minister Esther Muinjangue has defended the use of an official government vehicle to attend a community meeting held by Ovaherero leader Dr Hoze Riruako, saying she used it for its intended purposes.

Namibian Sun spotted Muinjangue during the meeting in Okahandja at the Commando Number 1 hall last week.

Riruako called the meeting to address a court ruling in favour of the Herero Royal Red Flag Association (HRRFA) taking ownership of Commando Hall 2, situated in Katutura.

In her defence, Muinjangue stated that she was already in Okahandja for official work duties and deemed it unnecessary to return to Windhoek and then travel to Okahandja again using her own vehicle.

“I am not abusing a government vehicle. I was in the area for official duties, and, of course, for this meeting. I could not go back to Windhoek and come [back in a private car],” she said.

Muinjangue’s use of the vehicle comes in the face of heightened scrutiny, with opposition parties questioning the use of government vehicles for private engagements.

Don't embarrass govt

Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) director-general Paulus Noa in 2022 said official cars assigned to ministers and their deputies may be utilised for personal matters. The ACC boss said politicians are merely discouraged from using their official vehicles in a “manner that embarrasses the government”.

Meanwhile, in parliament in 2018, Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) lawmaker Nico Smit questioned why Swapo officials use government vehicles for party and private engagements.

“As the leader of government business, can you confirm that government vehicles were indeed used at this particular party celebration? Secondly, can you please inform this August House that the cars were used on taxpayers' money?” he asked.

“Is it right - during these prevailing economic conditions - to be using taxpayers' money in the interest of a single political party and not for the people themselves who made this monetary contribution through tax deductions?”

The politician also sought clarity on “when and where we draw the line between state resources and resources of political parties”.

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Namibian Sun 2024-11-09

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Nam 2.22 SAME | Oryx Properties Ltd 12.1 UP 1.70% | Paratus Namibia Holdings 11.99 SAME | SBN Holdings 8.45 SAME | Trustco Group Holdings Ltd 0.48 SAME | B2Gold Corporation 47.34 DOWN 1.50% | Local Index closed 677.62 UP 0.12% | Overall Index closed 1534.6 DOWN 0.05% | Osino Resources Corp 19.47 DOWN 2.41% | Commodities: Gold US$ 2 684.46/OZ DOWN -0.0083 | Copper US$ 4.30/lb DOWN -0.027 | Zinc US$ 3 003.50/T UP 0.17% | Brent Crude Oil US$ 74.29/BBP DOWN -0.0215 | Platinum US$ 969.80/OZ DOWN -0.0274 Sport results: Weather: Katima Mulilo: 24° | 38° Rundu: 21° | 32° Eenhana: 20° | 26° Oshakati: 22° | 28° Ruacana: 22° | 31° Tsumeb: 21° | 27° Otjiwarongo: 19° | 29° Omaruru: 18° | 32° Windhoek: 17° | 28° Gobabis: 19° | 32° Henties Bay: 13° | 18° Wind speed: 19km/h, Wind direction: SW, Low tide: 02:25, High tide: 09:15, Low Tide: 15:48, High tide: 22:00 Swakopmund: 12° | 16° Wind speed: 20km/h, Wind direction: SW, Low tide: 02:23, High tide: 09:13, Low Tide: 15:46, High tide: 21:58 Walvis Bay: 12° | 21° Wind speed: 26km/h, Wind direction: SW, Low tide: 02:23, High tide: 09:12, Low Tide: 15:46, High tide: 21:57 Rehoboth: 18° | 30° Mariental: 19° | 34° Keetmanshoop: 16° | 31° Aranos: 20° | 33° Lüderitz: 13° | 23° Ariamsvlei: 15° | 29° Oranjemund: 16° | 20° Luanda: 25° | 26° Gaborone: 18° | 31° Lubumbashi: 18° | 32° Mbabane: 17° | 29° Maseru: 13° | 25° Antananarivo: 17° | 33° Lilongwe: 21° | 33° Maputo: 22° | 35° Windhoek: 17° | 28° Cape Town: 16° | 21° Durban: 18° | 22° Johannesburg: 15° | 27° Dar es Salaam: 25° | 31° Lusaka: 23° | 34° Harare: 19° | 32° Economic Indicators: Currency: GBP to NAD 22.67 | EUR to NAD 18.84 | CNY to NAD 2.45 | USD to NAD 17.58 | DZD to NAD 0.13 | AOA to NAD 0.02 | BWP to NAD 1.25 | EGP to NAD 0.35 | KES to NAD 0.14 | NGN to NAD 0.01 | ZMW to NAD 0.64 | ZWL to NAD 0.04 | BRL to NAD 3.06 | RUB to NAD 0.18 | INR to NAD 0.21 | USD to DZD 133.11 | USD to AOA 909.05 | USD to BWP 13.4 | USD to EGP 49.25 | USD to KES 129.2 | USD to NGN 1664.84 | USD to ZAR 17.56 | USD to ZMW 27.2 | USD to ZWL 321 | Stock Exchange: JSE All Share Index Same 0 | Namibian Stock Exchange (NSX) Overall Index 1851.79 Down -1.41% | Casablanca Stock Exchange (CSE) MASI 14663.22 Up +1.21% | Egyptian Exchange (EGX) 30 Index 31267.47 Up +0.72% | Botswana Stock Exchange (BSE) DCI Same 0 | NSX: MTC 7.75 SAME | Anirep 8.99 SAME | Capricorn Investment group 17.34 SAME | FirstRand Namibia Ltd 49 DOWN 0.50% | Letshego Holdings (Namibia) Ltd 4.1 UP 2.50% | Namibia Asset Management Ltd 0.7 SAME | Namibia Breweries Ltd 31.49 UP 0.03% | Nictus Holdings - Nam 2.22 SAME | Oryx Properties Ltd 12.1 UP 1.70% | Paratus Namibia Holdings 11.99 SAME | SBN Holdings 8.45 SAME | Trustco Group Holdings Ltd 0.48 SAME | B2Gold Corporation 47.34 DOWN 1.50% | Local Index closed 677.62 UP 0.12% | Overall Index closed 1534.6 DOWN 0.05% | Osino Resources Corp 19.47 DOWN 2.41% | Commodities: Gold US$ 2 684.46/OZ DOWN -0.0083 | Copper US$ 4.30/lb DOWN -0.027 | Zinc US$ 3 003.50/T UP 0.17% | Brent Crude Oil US$ 74.29/BBP DOWN -0.0215 | Platinum US$ 969.80/OZ DOWN -0.0274