NEFF threatens to mobilise anti-Chinese xenophobia
STAFF REPORTER
WINDHOEK
New parliament entrants Namibia Economic Freedom Fighters (NEFF) have threatened to stir up “mass xenophobia” against Chinese nationals if the government continues to perpetuate what the party perceives to be preferential treatment of businesses from the Asian country.
In a statement delivered in the National Assembly this week, NEFF president Epafras Mukwiilongo said the decision by government to award a N$102 million tender to renovate Linus Shashipapo Secondary School to a Chinese firm was the clearest evidence yet that China is being preferred ahead of Namibian businesses.
Namibian Sun reported last week that China Jiangxi International got the N$102 million tender to renovate Linus Shashipapo, one of the oldest schools in the Kavango East Region.
The Construction Industries Federation has described the tender being awarded to the Chinese firm as “insane, if one considers our current economic environment with companies downsizing, closing down or being declared bankrupt, and thousands of workers having been laid off”.
Mukwiilongo said renovation of a school should not require foreign expertise, and lambasted the fact that local companies are subcontractors to the project instead of being the main contractors who may then subcontract foreign companies.
“We will start mobilising our people countrywide to initiate a massive xenophobia towards the Chinese,” Mukwiilongo said.
“I urge all Namibians and Africans in Namibia to come together to combat the xenophobia towards the Chinese (sic).”
“We cannot allow our people losing their jobs and suffer while the Chinese [are] being enriched by our own country's resources.
”During the State of the Nation Address (SONA) by President Hage Geingob in June, Mukwiilongo also raised concern about China's perceived dominance of Namibian industries.
The Namibian constitution outlaws any forms of discrimination, including on the basis of nationality.
WINDHOEK
New parliament entrants Namibia Economic Freedom Fighters (NEFF) have threatened to stir up “mass xenophobia” against Chinese nationals if the government continues to perpetuate what the party perceives to be preferential treatment of businesses from the Asian country.
In a statement delivered in the National Assembly this week, NEFF president Epafras Mukwiilongo said the decision by government to award a N$102 million tender to renovate Linus Shashipapo Secondary School to a Chinese firm was the clearest evidence yet that China is being preferred ahead of Namibian businesses.
Namibian Sun reported last week that China Jiangxi International got the N$102 million tender to renovate Linus Shashipapo, one of the oldest schools in the Kavango East Region.
The Construction Industries Federation has described the tender being awarded to the Chinese firm as “insane, if one considers our current economic environment with companies downsizing, closing down or being declared bankrupt, and thousands of workers having been laid off”.
Mukwiilongo said renovation of a school should not require foreign expertise, and lambasted the fact that local companies are subcontractors to the project instead of being the main contractors who may then subcontract foreign companies.
“We will start mobilising our people countrywide to initiate a massive xenophobia towards the Chinese,” Mukwiilongo said.
“I urge all Namibians and Africans in Namibia to come together to combat the xenophobia towards the Chinese (sic).”
“We cannot allow our people losing their jobs and suffer while the Chinese [are] being enriched by our own country's resources.
”During the State of the Nation Address (SONA) by President Hage Geingob in June, Mukwiilongo also raised concern about China's perceived dominance of Namibian industries.
The Namibian constitution outlaws any forms of discrimination, including on the basis of nationality.
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