Veterans’ body says Swapo elites eating alone
The Former Refugees Repatriation Association of Namibia (FRRAN) has accused Swapo elites of paying themselves astronomical veterans’ payouts and giving each other farms, while those who fought militarily remain landless 35 years after independence.
FRRAN also questioned why members of Swapo’s political elite are receiving large veteran payouts for the period between 1959 and 1973, when Swapo did not yet exist in 1959.
The association had planned to submit a petition to President Nangolo Mbumba at State House on Wednesday but was told that the president is not allowed to receive petitions.
Instead, they were informed that minister in the presidency Christine //Hoebes and veterans affairs minister Frans Kapofi will convene a meeting with FRRAN to address their concerns.
Questions need answers
The group has asked the president to explain why the Tanganyika group has allegedly been compensated for the period 1959 to 1973, when Swapo was founded on 19 April 1960.
“In 1959, there was no Swapo in place. They must explain to us why that payment is made. Why is the grant money unequal? Some of them, like Netumbo [Nandi-Ndaitwah] and the president, were not in the war; they were just in hotels and offices," the group said this week.
“They did not see the war; they did not suffer. They did not see the ‘boers.’ How do they divide money in that way? How can someone survive on N$750 when others are getting N$80 000?” Matheus Nangolo, founder of the association, noted.
The association has called for the immediate removal of Kapofi, his deputy Hilma Nicanor, executive director Wilhelmine Shivute and deputy director Thadeus Elago.
“The people are totally corrupt; we must remove them and put in other people. Even Kapofi did not see the war like we saw the war,” members of the group said.
Struggle for land
The association has also questioned government's suspension of the resettlement programme for veterans, demanding that they need farms if senior government officials are allegedly given farms bought with government money.
“Even Kapofi has a farm, and now they have stopped giving us farms. We are maybe only 3 000 left and on one farm they can resettle at least 15 of us. That is why we were in the struggle for land.”
Nangolo added: “If the liberation struggle was for land, how come some of us are landless today? Kapofi told us that he can do nothing for us – we must go back to the president."
Following recommendations
Kapofi has hit back at the criticism, saying veterans should be grateful for the cash payouts they receive and claiming that he had pushed for financial payments instead of just material support.
“The veterans are in their thousands; how many of us will be resettled? They can still apply and the ministry of agriculture will deal with those applications and take care of it. We are no longer buying farms to settle them. You know there was a land conference and we are following those recommendations,” he said.
He, however, agreed with the veterans that their monthly cash payment is not commensurate with the cost of living but pointed out that an increase in these payments would have to be taken to government and eventually discussed in parliament.
“My mandate [as a minister] is ending soon, but even if they want to remove me, it will be the same government, same resources and same law. I am also tired of being accused like this,” he said.
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FRRAN also questioned why members of Swapo’s political elite are receiving large veteran payouts for the period between 1959 and 1973, when Swapo did not yet exist in 1959.
The association had planned to submit a petition to President Nangolo Mbumba at State House on Wednesday but was told that the president is not allowed to receive petitions.
Instead, they were informed that minister in the presidency Christine //Hoebes and veterans affairs minister Frans Kapofi will convene a meeting with FRRAN to address their concerns.
Questions need answers
The group has asked the president to explain why the Tanganyika group has allegedly been compensated for the period 1959 to 1973, when Swapo was founded on 19 April 1960.
“In 1959, there was no Swapo in place. They must explain to us why that payment is made. Why is the grant money unequal? Some of them, like Netumbo [Nandi-Ndaitwah] and the president, were not in the war; they were just in hotels and offices," the group said this week.
“They did not see the war; they did not suffer. They did not see the ‘boers.’ How do they divide money in that way? How can someone survive on N$750 when others are getting N$80 000?” Matheus Nangolo, founder of the association, noted.
The association has called for the immediate removal of Kapofi, his deputy Hilma Nicanor, executive director Wilhelmine Shivute and deputy director Thadeus Elago.
“The people are totally corrupt; we must remove them and put in other people. Even Kapofi did not see the war like we saw the war,” members of the group said.
Struggle for land
The association has also questioned government's suspension of the resettlement programme for veterans, demanding that they need farms if senior government officials are allegedly given farms bought with government money.
“Even Kapofi has a farm, and now they have stopped giving us farms. We are maybe only 3 000 left and on one farm they can resettle at least 15 of us. That is why we were in the struggle for land.”
Nangolo added: “If the liberation struggle was for land, how come some of us are landless today? Kapofi told us that he can do nothing for us – we must go back to the president."
Following recommendations
Kapofi has hit back at the criticism, saying veterans should be grateful for the cash payouts they receive and claiming that he had pushed for financial payments instead of just material support.
“The veterans are in their thousands; how many of us will be resettled? They can still apply and the ministry of agriculture will deal with those applications and take care of it. We are no longer buying farms to settle them. You know there was a land conference and we are following those recommendations,” he said.
He, however, agreed with the veterans that their monthly cash payment is not commensurate with the cost of living but pointed out that an increase in these payments would have to be taken to government and eventually discussed in parliament.
“My mandate [as a minister] is ending soon, but even if they want to remove me, it will be the same government, same resources and same law. I am also tired of being accused like this,” he said.
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