Amunime on kiss-and-tell spree

Axed Affirmative Repositioning movement (AR) spokesperson Simon Amunime has laid bare how chief activist Job Amupanda allegedly bullies activists and runs the movement in an undemocratic manner.

Appearing on ‘The Agenda’ last night, Amunime did not mince his words, claiming that the movement is hampered by Amupanda’s leadership style.

He also questioned how Amupanda appointed himself activist in chief despite the movement not convening a congress to elect officials to serve in its leadership.

“You are an activist in chief, who endorsed you or where was the agreement? Why don’t you have a deputy? George Kambala was saying I want to be head of administration, the man [Amupanda] does not want [that].

“He baptised himself as an induna. I did not agree with that because the organisation must be democratic,” he said.

‘Frivolous’

Without directly addressing Amunime’s accusations, newly appointed AR spokesperson George Kambala accused Amunime of being frivolous.

“They just want to assume things. Amunime is imagining things and he is being frivolous in his accusations. If you don’t know what happened in the beginning, don’t assume, rather ask.”

Kambala added that Amunime and Paulus ‘Pau Pau’ Kathanga were part of a meeting that adopted the rules governing the movement, disputing the former spokesperson’s claims that Amupanda himself drafted AR’s rules.

“They were part of the meeting that adopted the documents themselves,” he said.

Revolutionary guidelines

According to Amunime, there were set guidelines the movement ought to have followed to fast-track its transformation to a democracy.

“We had a document called Revolutionary Guidelines, that document [said] you must set up branches first, then those branches elect districts. After districts, regions; then national. You do not start by appointing yourself without doing any groundwork, who are you leading? Who gave you the mandate?” he questioned.

He also brought into question the movement’s slow pace of setting up structures, saying political parties formed after AR had formal structures while it did not.

“AR started in 2014, now it’s 2022. Why did you not adopt it as this year’s programme of action going forward? The Landless People’s Movement came, after that the Independent Patriots for Change came but they have structures. Why did you not do it while you were a mayor?” he asked of the movement’s formalisation.

Ouster attempts

Amunime said Amupanda was on a mission to push persons who will challenge him out of the movement.

“Just when Dee [Dimbulukeni Nauyoma] was arrested, Dr [Amupanda] brought these documents called interim guidelines that started legitimising this structure that suspended us. Maybe these ones are Omaalala Amendments, you do it as a reactionary method because you want to deal with those you see as a threat,” he said.

According to him, the guidelines were adopted in the absence of Nauyoma, who is currently in jail.

Amunime and Kathanga have since been removed from their positions in the movement.

What money?

Amunime further dismissed allegations that he had been given money by Amupanda when he started serving on the City of Windhoek’s council, saying he was a resourceful person and not dependent on the former mayor for anything financial.

“You were appointed in 2020. You were not a mayor, you were not in council, I was doing this free of charge. In fact, I even put in my own resources,” he said.

He challenged Amupanda to provide evidence that he had supported him financially.

“You must not just make accusations; you must offer proof. You bring your bank account; I bring my bank account. There is nothing like that.”