Venaani looking for sympathy vote – Presidency

Venaani stands by inteligence political medling comments

The Presidency says Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) president McHenry Venaani’s allegations that the Namibia Central Intelligence Service (NCIS) is involved in destabilising opposition parties is a futile attempt to seek sympathy and garner political support.

While addressing the PDM’s central committee meeting at Opuwo on Friday, Venaani accused the NCIS of offering opposition party members money and jobs to create chaos within their parties.

The party recently lost PDM member of parliament Vipua Muharukua, who resigned for personal reasons.

Venaani further implored president Nangolo Mbumba to take the NCIS’ resources out of politics.

Alferdo Hengari

Presidential press secretary Alferdo Hengari yesterday said Venaani’s sentiments were futile attempts to “seek sympathy and garner political support”.

Hengari said: “It’s useless that the leader is implicating the president in such useless allegations. President Mbumba is committed to the rule of law and has always emphasised the importance of governance and unity of the Namibian nation.”

Meanwhile, NCIS director Benedictus Likando said Venaani should submit his concerns to the parliamentary standing committee on foreign affairs, defence and security, on which he serves.

Venaani said it’s a matter of time before he takes the issue to the parliament.

“I know what I’m talking about. Their job is to deny. Swapo wants to create an electoral inferior, create division within political parties and make it seem as if they are the only organised political party,” he said.

He said opposition parties are not divided.

Venaani further said the intelligence agency recently created a new party, called Action Democratic Movement (ADM) to try and create confusion with the PDM.

“We know of political parties that were scientifically created by the NCIS, where people’s names and signatures were used without their consent,” he said.

Venaani claimed the NCIS had assigned people who will be receiving salaries until March next year.

“We know what you are doing. This organisation should survive beyond your central intelligence,” he said.

ADM interim president Vincent Kanyetu last week said his party has not received money, nor was it started by the NCIS.

Kanyetu, who was the PDM’s secretary general from 2013 to 2015, said Venaani sent him a text message about a week ago alleging his party was paid by the NCIS.

“I thought he was joking. We haven’t received any money by anyone. Venaani is not telling the truth,” Kanyetu said.

He said when he resigned from the All People’s Party in August last year, Venaani tried to recruit him back to the PDM.

“He wanted me to be PDM coordinator and I said the PDM should instead pay me my pension. He said that would be difficult to do, but he would work out my salary.

“He said he would pay me a good salary,” Kanyetu said.

Ndumba Kamwanyah

SPY ALLEGATIONS

Political analyst Ndumba Kamwanyah yesterday said state intelligence favouring the ruling party means trouble.

“There may be no evidence this time around, but I can confidently say in the past the NCIS has spied on people who supported opposition political parties and political analysts,” he said.

Kamwanyah said the NCIS should be depoliticised and perform its duties independently to the benefit of every Namibian.

“Its role is supposed to be that of protecting the citizens from foreign threats, not to target opposition political parties and those who raise serious questions about the government,” he said.

Former ambassador Pius Dunaiski yesterday said there has been a close cooperation between ruling parties and state intelligence agencies in the Southern African Development Community region to keep former liberation movements in control.

“It would be no surprise if the NCIS is really politically biased and used by Swapo to their favour,” he said.

The post Venaani looking for sympathy vote – Presidency appeared first on The Namibian.