Infighting plagues NUNW
The National Union of Namibian Workers this weekend removed its president, Ismael Kasuto, in what it says was a properly constituted meeting.
The removal has, however, been met with disdain by Kasuto who said an unconstitutional gathering moved to get rid of him.
Acting president Albert Liswaniso told Namibian Sun yesterday that Kasuto's removal was done legally during the central executive committee meeting.
“He was removed democratically. It was a properly constituted meeting that elected to remove him. He may claim not to have been removed democratically but the members of NUNW removed his mandate. The people decided to withdraw his mandate,” said Liswaniso.
Liswaniso said Kasuto was free to challenge the decision emanating from last weekend's meeting which led to his removal.
“If he wants to challenge it he can challenge it,” said Liswaniso.
According to him, NUNW's deputy president would now step in to fill the void left by Kasuto's forced departure.
“Constitutionally I am in an acting position. That is why I constituted to chair the meeting from which Kasuto walked out,” he said.
Liswaniso also informed Namibian Sun that he would remain in an acting position up until elections are held to elect a new leader.
“We will elect a new president in 2019,” he said Liswaniso.
Kasuto hit back at Liswaniso's claim that he was constitutionally removed but said he would be happy to stand down if a properly constituted meeting had removed him.
“I'm not aware of any formal suspension of the NUNW President by the NUNW Central Executive Committee except what I am picking up on the social media in reference of unsigned letter on the vote of no confidence,” said Kasuto when he spoke to Namibian Sun following his removal.
According to him, he did attended a meeting which convened to discuss the payment of affiliate member fees, at which point the issue of his removal came up.
“I attended the supposedly the NUNW CEC [held 19 August] of which the composition of the meeting came under discussion in particular the payment of affiliation fees which is a prerequisite to attend the NUNW meeting in terms of the NUNW constitution,” said Kasuto.
Kasuto also called his removal temporary and said he would only step down if a true and proper meeting in his opinion convened.
“My temporary removal to precede yesterday's [Saturday] meeting was based on me as president insisting that the meeting be properly constituted in terms of the NUNW constitution and that is when I excused myself not to attend yesterday's unconstitutional meeting and that was not a vote of no confidence to totally remove me from office,” said Kasuto.
“I am happy to get out of office only if the vote of no confidence is coming from a credible and constitutional NUNW structure.”
An NUNW document based Kasuto's removal on his failure to hold NUNW structural meetings and to implement national congress resolutions. The NUNW also accused Kasuto of sowing seeds of ethic division as well as gross negligence.
OGONE TLHAGE
The removal has, however, been met with disdain by Kasuto who said an unconstitutional gathering moved to get rid of him.
Acting president Albert Liswaniso told Namibian Sun yesterday that Kasuto's removal was done legally during the central executive committee meeting.
“He was removed democratically. It was a properly constituted meeting that elected to remove him. He may claim not to have been removed democratically but the members of NUNW removed his mandate. The people decided to withdraw his mandate,” said Liswaniso.
Liswaniso said Kasuto was free to challenge the decision emanating from last weekend's meeting which led to his removal.
“If he wants to challenge it he can challenge it,” said Liswaniso.
According to him, NUNW's deputy president would now step in to fill the void left by Kasuto's forced departure.
“Constitutionally I am in an acting position. That is why I constituted to chair the meeting from which Kasuto walked out,” he said.
Liswaniso also informed Namibian Sun that he would remain in an acting position up until elections are held to elect a new leader.
“We will elect a new president in 2019,” he said Liswaniso.
Kasuto hit back at Liswaniso's claim that he was constitutionally removed but said he would be happy to stand down if a properly constituted meeting had removed him.
“I'm not aware of any formal suspension of the NUNW President by the NUNW Central Executive Committee except what I am picking up on the social media in reference of unsigned letter on the vote of no confidence,” said Kasuto when he spoke to Namibian Sun following his removal.
According to him, he did attended a meeting which convened to discuss the payment of affiliate member fees, at which point the issue of his removal came up.
“I attended the supposedly the NUNW CEC [held 19 August] of which the composition of the meeting came under discussion in particular the payment of affiliation fees which is a prerequisite to attend the NUNW meeting in terms of the NUNW constitution,” said Kasuto.
Kasuto also called his removal temporary and said he would only step down if a true and proper meeting in his opinion convened.
“My temporary removal to precede yesterday's [Saturday] meeting was based on me as president insisting that the meeting be properly constituted in terms of the NUNW constitution and that is when I excused myself not to attend yesterday's unconstitutional meeting and that was not a vote of no confidence to totally remove me from office,” said Kasuto.
“I am happy to get out of office only if the vote of no confidence is coming from a credible and constitutional NUNW structure.”
An NUNW document based Kasuto's removal on his failure to hold NUNW structural meetings and to implement national congress resolutions. The NUNW also accused Kasuto of sowing seeds of ethic division as well as gross negligence.
OGONE TLHAGE
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