Kuvee Kangueehi
20 October 2008
Windhoek — The controversial Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) is set to be withdrawn from the National Assembly where it is tabled for debate this week.
The decision was made after the Swapo Party polit-buro met in the capital on Thursday and Friday.
The executive body of the ruling party briefly deliberated on the issue and decided to set up a committee that will report back to the politburo before November 14, 2008.
Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Abraham Iyambo, will chair the committee, while Minister of Presidential Affairs and Acting Attorney General, Albert Kawana, is also on the committee.
The matter, as expected, created a stir.
A member of the politburo informed New Era that President Hifikepunye Pohamba lashed out at Minister of Works and Transport, Helmut Angula, and at one point reportedly castigated him.
The President allegedly also commended the Swapo Party Youth League (SPYL) for blowing the whistle and remarked that had the party youth wing not commented publicly on the issue, the country could have entered into a bad agreement.
The source added that Angula tried to defend himself, arguing that the MCA was a collective decision, and stated that it was unfair that he has been singled out and was being held responsible for it.
The minister allegedly also informed the politburo that the recent media reports have negatively affected his family and the whole saga has been embarrassing for him and his family.
The source added that the politburo instructed Prime Minister Nahas Angula to ensure that the MCA debate is withdrawn from Parliament without causing more embarrassment to the party and Government.
Contacted for comment, the Prime Minister declined to discuss the politburo outcome but noted that the Swapo Party parliamentary caucus met on Thursday morning and interrogated the MCA.
"The party met as a family and at the caucus we were comparing notes with special reference to the MCA."
Angula said the parliamentary caucus decided that certain issues need explaining and Parliament, as an overseeing body of the executive, has that
mandate.
The debate on the MCA was adjourned by DTA MP, McHenry Venaani, and is expected to resume on October 23.
The politburo on Friday afternoon also met the SPYL executive and gave them an opportunity to express some of the grievances they have made public in recent weeks.
According to a politburo member, the SPYL informed the politburo that there was no proper communication between the party and Government and reminded the politburo that the Government is not the one to run the party.
It is the duty of the party to run the Government.
The SPYL allegedly also bemoaned the visit by a group of five Swapo Party elders to President Pohamba. The elders apparently termed themselves co-founders of Swapo Party and members of the Ovambo People's Organisation.
The SPYL allegedly said the visit to State House was out of the party structures and their reference to OPO borders on tribalism.
The source added that they also questioned Pohamba's decision to take away the attorney general portfolio from the secretary general of the Swapo Party, Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana, and argued that it is unfair to claim that her workload was too much because Kawana, who is now the acting attorney general, has three portfolios presently. He is Swapo secretary for legal affairs, Minister for Presidential Affairs as well as Acting Attorney General.
Although the SPYL made strong statements, the politburo members were cordial.
The politburo members allegedly hardly made any remarks and the matter has been postponed to November 14, when the submission of the SPYL will be discussed point by point.
The Swapo Party is expected to hold a press briefing this week.
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