Uerikua dismisses abuse of Nujoma memorial funds

Some members of the Otjozondjupa business community and local residents are demanding a full report on how their monetary contributions towards the regional memorial service for late Founding President Sam Nujoma was used, amid claims of abuse.The Otjozondjupa regional council called a meeting on 19 February at Grootfontein, where residents - especially the farming and business community - were urged to contribute towards the event.Several contributions were consequently made - including N$30 000 from businessman Enos Anyolo - as well as cattle and game. Businessmen who were only identified as Asser and Bobon also contributed N$15 000 and N$10 000 respectively, according to information obtained by Namibian Sun.Food items, soft drinks and water were also donated towards the event, which was held on 24 February at Omulunga stadium.Afterwards, the region received N$500 000 from central government to host the event. However, accusations are now flying thick ands fast that there has not been proper accountability by the committee that coordinated the contributions, led by regional governor James Uerikua.In a WhatsApp audio obtained by Namibian Sun, Grootfontein local authority councillor Jack Tsanigab can be heard voicing concerns: “We are going to find out what will happen with this Grootfontein group and ensure that all donated money is properly followed up and accounted for. We will not tolerate practices where the name of the Founding Father is used to pressure businesspeople into donating money. People should contribute voluntarily, whether it’s a bottle of water or a cool drink. It is totally outrageous.”“These individuals must provide financial reports. We will also ask businesspeople to disclose how much they donated and to whom. People must stop exploiting death for personal gain. If they want to engage in such behaviour, they should wait for their own relatives to pass away,” he added.Speaking to Namibian Sun yesterday, Tsanigab said the raising of donations was an isolated programme run by the governor’s office. “The committee would be the right source for accurate figures. However, according to what we’ve heard on the streets, many donations were sourced. But at the burial, we only heard general acknowledgements like, ‘We thank so-and-so,’ without clear details. No financial report was provided,” he said.“It would be premature for me to claim, for example, that N$100,000 was given and unaccounted for. The committee never provided a financial report. Meetings to discuss these matters were postponed repeatedly until they never took place. From my side, I am not happy with the way things were handled,” he added.The governor maintained that the event was a resounding success and that all funds and donations were properly accounted for.Speaking to Namibian Sun on Monday, Uerikua refuted claims of ill-governance and lack of accountability regarding donations from businesses and the public.He insisted that all contributions were acknowledged and funds used appropriately.“We intended to hold a debriefing meeting, but with only four days before the burial after our event, it was not possible. However, all financial matters were properly recorded,” he said.“Some individuals wanted this event to fail, but they were ashamed when it turned out to be a success. People fail to separate politics from national events. If anyone claims their contributions were unaccounted for, I challenge them to provide proof.”Uerikua revealed that of N$500 000 received from government, about N$380 000 of it was spent on tents alone.“We budgeted for 5 000 attendees but ended up with 9 800. We only ordered 5 500 chairs, yet the tents were filled to capacity, with additional thousands in the pavilion. Despite this, we ensured all attendees were fed and provided with transport, none of which was initially budgeted for. This was possible through regional corporate support. Yet, no one talks about this. Instead, political novices spread misinformation,” he said.The governor dismissed social media attacks as unfounded. “We do not engage with such negativity. Our work speaks for itself. Under my leadership, this region has achieved significant milestones, and no one can challenge our accountability. The finance committee provided regular reports. The total donations were not even more than N$80 000 or N$100 000. If any so-called businessperson claims otherwise, they should provide their name, the amount they contributed, and to whom,” Uerikua said.“Many of these individuals never attended our meetings or took part in planning but now seek to damage reputations on social media. We secured seven cattle, two kudu carcasses, and one buffalo carcass. All contributors’ names were documented. To prevent any misuse, all livestock was sent to the National Youth Service Centre in Rietfontein,” he said.“As chairperson of the regional anti-corruption forum, I have overseen the arrest of corrupt individuals, including former councillors. If necessary, I will do so again. Some people spread falsehoods for political gain, but we remain focused on our work. We formed a committee of around 70 individuals from various institutions, with designated leaders for logistics, transport, décor, protocol, security, and resource mobilization. Each had clear responsibilities.”He added that he was never involved in collecting money. “Subcommittees handled resources, and their chairpersons reported daily at meetings held at the ministry of agriculture boardroom. If anyone claims the money was misused, they must present evidence instead of hiding behind anonymous accusations and WhatsApp rumours,” Uerikua said.nikanor@nmh-hub.com.na

Uerikua dismisses abuse of Nujoma memorial funds

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Namibian Sun 2025-09-18

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Uerikua dismisses abuse of Nujoma memorial funds

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Namibian Sun 2025-09-18

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