Only Wambos work hard, says Utoni
Swapo leader stirs outrage
The labour minister, who has a knack for making unwashed public utterances, offended even his fellow Swapo MPs.
Tuesday’s National Assembly session degenerated into chaos after labour minister Utoni Nujoma claimed that Aawambo people were hard-working while "the others are lazy".
The remarks, which Nujoma was forced with withdraw, angered other parliamentarians – including those from his own party, Swapo.
Nujoma shares an Omuwambo father - founding president Sam Nujoma - and an Omuherero mother, former first lady Kovambo Nujoma.
Opposition lawmakers in particular reacted with outrage to what they called tribal remarks by the labour minister.
This included Landless People’s Movement (LPM) leader Bernadus Swartbooi, Nujoma's long-time nemesis, and party deputy Henny Seibeb.
The two men lost their composure and collectively and loudly directed their outrage towards him.
Dug in his heels
Swartbooi, a former lands deputy minister, left Swapo in 2016 to form LPM after a public falling-out with Nujoma, his then senior minister in that portfolio. Swartbooi offered to resign after refusing to apologise for saying the minister resettles people from other regions in southern Namibia at the expense of the native Nama people.
President Hage Geingob ordered Swartbooi to apologise, but the firebrand former //Karas Region governor dug in his heels.
On Tuesday, non-Oshiwambo-speaking Swapo representatives also took offence at Nujoma’s remark, which was made during a motivational speech by Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) leader McHenry Venaani, who initiated a debate about better sanitation facilities for Namibians. He said 47% of Namibian citizens still relieve themselves in the open air.
Starting the storm, Nujoma rose and said that whenever he goes to the north, formerly known as Owamboland, he sees that most families there have built their own dry toilets.
“But somewhere else... well, the others are lazy,” the minister said, criticising the other population groups in the country.
After Speaker Peter Katjavivi restored order to some extent after minutes of noise and heckling, Nujoma withdrew his remark.
Offensive comments
Deputy gender equality minister Bernadette Jagger was one of the Swapo members who took the minister on for his remarks.
“Yes, he retracted that statement, but that statement was wrong! I would like to put that on record,” she said.
It is rare that a Swapo member, especially a deputy minister, breaks rank and criticises a fellow party member in parliament.
Jagger's reaction underscored just how harshly Nujoma's remark was received by members of other tribes.
According to Swartbooi, Nujoma often makes offensive comments in parliamentary sessions. The minister then apologised profusely.
The remarks, which Nujoma was forced with withdraw, angered other parliamentarians – including those from his own party, Swapo.
Nujoma shares an Omuwambo father - founding president Sam Nujoma - and an Omuherero mother, former first lady Kovambo Nujoma.
Opposition lawmakers in particular reacted with outrage to what they called tribal remarks by the labour minister.
This included Landless People’s Movement (LPM) leader Bernadus Swartbooi, Nujoma's long-time nemesis, and party deputy Henny Seibeb.
The two men lost their composure and collectively and loudly directed their outrage towards him.
Dug in his heels
Swartbooi, a former lands deputy minister, left Swapo in 2016 to form LPM after a public falling-out with Nujoma, his then senior minister in that portfolio. Swartbooi offered to resign after refusing to apologise for saying the minister resettles people from other regions in southern Namibia at the expense of the native Nama people.
President Hage Geingob ordered Swartbooi to apologise, but the firebrand former //Karas Region governor dug in his heels.
On Tuesday, non-Oshiwambo-speaking Swapo representatives also took offence at Nujoma’s remark, which was made during a motivational speech by Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) leader McHenry Venaani, who initiated a debate about better sanitation facilities for Namibians. He said 47% of Namibian citizens still relieve themselves in the open air.
Starting the storm, Nujoma rose and said that whenever he goes to the north, formerly known as Owamboland, he sees that most families there have built their own dry toilets.
“But somewhere else... well, the others are lazy,” the minister said, criticising the other population groups in the country.
After Speaker Peter Katjavivi restored order to some extent after minutes of noise and heckling, Nujoma withdrew his remark.
Offensive comments
Deputy gender equality minister Bernadette Jagger was one of the Swapo members who took the minister on for his remarks.
“Yes, he retracted that statement, but that statement was wrong! I would like to put that on record,” she said.
It is rare that a Swapo member, especially a deputy minister, breaks rank and criticises a fellow party member in parliament.
Jagger's reaction underscored just how harshly Nujoma's remark was received by members of other tribes.
According to Swartbooi, Nujoma often makes offensive comments in parliamentary sessions. The minister then apologised profusely.
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