THE University of Namibia (Unam) appears to have joined the anti-Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) crusade, which has been spearheaded by Prime Minister Nahas Angula and the National Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW).

Unam allegedly prevented KAS and its country director, Anton Bösl, from funding an environmental workshop that started this week. The director was removed from the programme.

The order to seek alternative funding for the workshop and not to associate with KAS during this political stand-off between the Swapo-affiliated union federation and the Government came from Unam's Vice-Chancellor, Lazarus Hangula, The Namibian was reliably informed.

Angula and the NUNW earlier accused the German foundation of trying to effect "regime change" in Namibia, and said its director was not welcome in the country.

The political backlash against KAS was triggered by a report by a team of journalists who observed the November general and presidential elections. The reporters were brought in through KAS by another German foundation.

The Government, through the Minister of Information, Joel Kaapanda, also objected to a workshop attended by the leader of Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP), Hidipo Hamutenya, in Brussels after the November elections.

Swapo and Government leaders have also benefited from KAS-sponsored trips to Europe in the recent past. One such leader is Deputy Justice Minister Utoni Nujoma, who went on a study trip to Germany.

In the latest expression of anti-KAS sentiment in the country, Unam Vice Chancellor Hangula is said to have ordered Unam's Human Rights and Documentation Centre (HRDC), which falls under the faculty of law, to source funds elsewhere as long as it does not come from KAS for this week's climate change workshop.

Bösl could not comment yesterday, saying he was in Germany and did not know of the latest developments.

It is understood that Hangula's order has to do with the current differences between Swapo, Government and KAS. Hangula had already decided against KAS involvement in the university's projects last month.

The Namibian was informed that political interference was at play, as it appeared Hangula was under political pressure to cut ties with the out-of-favour German foundation.

Questions to Unam were referred to HRDC Director, Oliver Ruppel, who explained that there were two workshops planned. The one that started yesterday was organised by Unam's Multi-disciplinary Research Centre, HRDC and Oxford University.

Ruppel said the workshop with KAS had been postponed indefinitely because Bösl was in Germany. He said the workshop was supposed to take place this month.

He said there had been no interference from Hangula. But those in the know said that the postponement was done in the hope that the dust around the KAS controversy with Government would settle down.

KAS came under fire from the ruling party for organising a meeting in Brussels, Belgium, in December.

The meeting was attended by Hamutenya as well as leaders of centre-right parties in Angola, Malawi, Kenya, the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Africa (Congress of the People and Inkatha Freedom Party). Since then, Swapo and its youth league, SPYL, have been calling for KAS to pack up and leave the country.