NEFF threatens to drag Swapo to court over Fishrot money
17 November 2021 | Politics
KENYA KAMBOWE
RUNDU
The Namibia Economic Freedom Fighters (NEFF) has threatened to take Swapo to court over state funds that the ruling party allegedly received through the Fishrot scandal to finance its 2017 elective congress.
NEFF’s second in command and member of parliament, Kalimbo Iipumbu, yesterday confirmed that they will take Swapo to court, saying that they have engaged local and foreign-based lawyers to take on their legal battle.
Kalimbo says that based on the evidence presented in the High Court by the accused persons seeking bail in the landmark case, as well as recent publications which claimed that Swapo had received about N$6 million in state funds through Fishcor, the ruling party will have to answer in court as to why its 2017 elective congress was funded with state resources.
“We just concluded the meeting with the lawyers from outside and local ones because the report was already compiled as from last month so that we are prepared to go and prepare this case in court,” Kalimbo said yesterday.
“What happened is that we are not going to take this thing to next year. We have already started with the process. First, we are going to ask the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) to dismiss the list that was presented to parliament in 2020.
“Secondly, it will be to ask the Prime Minister the criteria which were used for Swapo Party to own fishing quotas, and thirdly, it will now be a case which will be opened against Swapo Party for failing to uphold the constitution of Namibia.
“So, all these steps are done as we are talking. We have a strong case.”
Not a campaign ploy
Asked whether this is not a ploy to score cheap political points, Kalimbo said there will be those who think in that line, but NEFF will ensure that justice prevails and that the answers many voters seek will be found.
“We are very serious on this one. Many people said they will do this but there was no one coming forth. We are not doing this to score cheap political points; we are doing it for the Namibian people,” Kalimbo said.
[email protected]
RUNDU
The Namibia Economic Freedom Fighters (NEFF) has threatened to take Swapo to court over state funds that the ruling party allegedly received through the Fishrot scandal to finance its 2017 elective congress.
NEFF’s second in command and member of parliament, Kalimbo Iipumbu, yesterday confirmed that they will take Swapo to court, saying that they have engaged local and foreign-based lawyers to take on their legal battle.
Kalimbo says that based on the evidence presented in the High Court by the accused persons seeking bail in the landmark case, as well as recent publications which claimed that Swapo had received about N$6 million in state funds through Fishcor, the ruling party will have to answer in court as to why its 2017 elective congress was funded with state resources.
“We just concluded the meeting with the lawyers from outside and local ones because the report was already compiled as from last month so that we are prepared to go and prepare this case in court,” Kalimbo said yesterday.
“What happened is that we are not going to take this thing to next year. We have already started with the process. First, we are going to ask the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) to dismiss the list that was presented to parliament in 2020.
“Secondly, it will be to ask the Prime Minister the criteria which were used for Swapo Party to own fishing quotas, and thirdly, it will now be a case which will be opened against Swapo Party for failing to uphold the constitution of Namibia.
“So, all these steps are done as we are talking. We have a strong case.”
Not a campaign ploy
Asked whether this is not a ploy to score cheap political points, Kalimbo said there will be those who think in that line, but NEFF will ensure that justice prevails and that the answers many voters seek will be found.
“We are very serious on this one. Many people said they will do this but there was no one coming forth. We are not doing this to score cheap political points; we are doing it for the Namibian people,” Kalimbo said.
[email protected]
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