Catherine Sasman
6 June 2011
A petition signed by 504 public servants and members of the Government Institutions Pension Fund (GIPF) is calling on the National Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW) and its affiliates to stop the “cowardly and unjustified” harassment and victimisation of NUNW secretary general Evilastus Kaaronda.
The petition was signed mostly by Windhoek-based workers because others could not be reached due to budgetary constraints, said the petitioners.
They said they have trust in Kaaronda “as one of the very few leaders in Africa who have demonstrated genuine care and commitment to the pride of the Namibian workers with the ability and commitment to assist” workers to put the GIPF saga behind them.
They said NUNW president Elias Manga and affiliates to the union should “rather embrace the excellent leadership attributes and courage” of Kaaronda, instead of victimising him.
“It is with dismay and shock that we have learned that the only leader of ours who has not only demonstrated the true art of leadership but also extraordinary courage, bravery, equity, and fairness, is now the person who has been cowardly put on trial by NUNW and its affiliates and in some quarters is even threatened with his life as reported in the media,” the petitioners said.
The workers said instead of exerting energy in the prosecution of Kaaronda, the union leaders should rather redirect their energy into something more positive such as the repositioning of the NUNW as a true watchdog and umbrella body of workers’ interests such as the resolution of the GIPF debacle.
The NUNW instituted an investigation into Kaaronda in April on allegations that he had made public statements without consulting with the union’s leadership and affiliates.
Kaaronda was also accused of discrediting some of the affiliated unions.
Manga earlier would not say if the investigation into the allegations was concluded.
The workers said they have waited “patiently” for Government and worker representative bodies like the NUNW and its affiliates to “bring the trustees of the GIPF to account” for the loss of more than N$650 million.
They said they have fruitlessly “explored and knocked on various doors” of elected leaders, including the Office of the President and Prime Minister and various other representatives for a satisfactory explanation on legal action taken to recover the lost millions and to bring those responsible for the loss to book.
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Workers Rally Behind NUNW’s Kaaronda