/Uirab accuses Nekundi of ethnic witch-hunt at NAC

Namibia Airports Company (NAC) chief executive Bisey /Uirab has accused works and transport minister Veikko Nekundi of orchestrating an alleged ethnic witch-hunt against Damara- and Nama-speaking employees at the state-owned company, claiming he is among those being targeted.In court papers filed in the High Court, /Uirab alleges that an investigation commissioned by Nekundi was designed to identify and remove employees perceived to have benefited from preferential treatment because of their ethnic backgrounds.He claims the investigation, conducted by ministry internal auditor Lineekela Joseph, was not impartial but intended to produce findings against employees from the two communities.“The investigation mostly targeted Damara/Nama-speaking persons because of the perceived notion that such persons were specifically favoured within the NAC. The report was intended to produce findings that would allow the minister to remove such persons from the NAC,” /Uirab said.He argues that the investigation violated his constitutional right to equality and freedom from discrimination because employees in similar circumstances were treated differently.“The decision is unreasonable because the manner in which the investigation was carried out was unfairly targeted at a particular tribal grouping, being Damara/Nama-speaking persons in the employ of the NAC. The investigation was also unfair because it did not treat all similarly situated staff members equally. This also violates Article 10 of the Constitution,” he said.Nekundi has rejected the allegations, insisting that his decisions are guided by accountability rather than ethnicity.“I don't respond to hallucinations. I have appointed Nama and Damara-speaking Namibians on the boards under the Ministry of Works and Transport. My private secretary is a Damara-speaking Namibian. Even on the same NAC board there is a Damara-speaking Namibian. I deal with facts and not rumours and gathering of tribes' support when one must be held accountable,” he told Namibian Sun yesterday.Investigation challenged/Uirab maintains that the investigation was part of a deliberate attempt to find fault with the appointments and conduct of employees from particular ethnic backgrounds.“The errors I point out above, regarding the report of Mr Lineekela, if regarded in isolation, may look innocent, but looked at from the perspective of the persons who were actually the target of the investigation and the effort made by Mr Joseph to find any fault with their appointment or actions, it makes it clear that this was a witch-hunt against persons of the Damara/Nama origin within the NAC,” he said.He also questions Joseph's competence, alleging that the internal auditor lacked the necessary knowledge, skills and experience to investigate NAC's affairs.According to /Uirab, Joseph failed to obtain responses from employees implicated in the report before submitting his findings and recommendations to the minister.He further challenges Nekundi's authority to commission the investigation under the Public Enterprises Governance Act, arguing that the decision exceeded the minister's legal powers.“I am also of Damara/Nama origin and am unlawfully targeted by the so-called investigation commissioned by the minister. Therefore, appointing Mr Joseph to carry out the illegal investigation was itself ultra vires the Minister's powers,” he said.Auditor's impartiality questioned/Uirab also raises a potential conflict of interest, alleging that Joseph previously applied for the position of head of internal audit at NAC but was unsuccessful.The position was subsequently filled by Mona-Lisa Jacobs, and /Uirab argues that Joseph should have recused himself from investigating the company because of the alleged conflict.The dispute comes amid controversy over NAC's vehicle scheme, under which 19 executives and managers, including /Uirab, acquired company vehicles for N$5,000 each.According to the ministerial investigation report, the vehicles were purchased between 2016 and 2019 and transferred to employees between 2023 and 2024.Among the beneficiaries was /Uirab, who received a Toyota Land Cruiser originally purchased by NAC for N$1.3 million.However, /Uirab maintains that the transfers were governed by successive board-approved vehicle policies and that employees had acquired rights under the previous arrangements.He argues that NAC was implementing a policy change and had negotiated agreements with affected employees because changes to existing employment benefits required consultation.He also disputes the investigation's findings concerning employee appointments, promotions, study loans and extensions of executive contracts.The legal challenge follows Nekundi's decision on 4 August 2026 to dismiss the NAC board, which comprised Elizabeth Peterson, Lucien Mouton, Matheus Gowaseb, Carol Williams and Ferdinand Nghiyolwa.A new board was subsequently appointed, but /Uirab is challenging its authority and accusing it of interfering in operational matters reserved for management.“The board is acting under the dictation of Nekundi and is unlawfully interfering in operational matters of the NAC that fall within my powers,” he said.He wants the High Court to set aside the dismissal of the former board members and prevent the newly appointed board from interfering in the company's operational affairs.The matter is scheduled for hearing on 20 November 2026.

/Uirab accuses Nekundi of ethnic witch-hunt at NAC

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Namibian Sun 2026-11-05

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/Uirab accuses Nekundi of ethnic witch-hunt at NAC

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Namibian Sun 2026-11-05

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