Factions in business sector
• Three-week-old association meets state leaders
Divisions are widening within the country's business community, with NCCI and Naloba at each other's throats, while the Black Business Leadership Network of Namibia is also vying for attention.
Ogone TlhageWINDHOEK
Cracks are widening within Namibia’s business community, as the cake continues to become smaller due in part to current economic conditions. On 25 February, northern-based business owners announced the establishment of the Namibia Local Businesses Association (Naloba) at Ongwediva. It has in its structures powerful business personalities such as Erastus ‘Chicco’ Shapumba and David ‘Kambwa’ Sheehama – a powerful business pair in the north. Shapumba, a very influential and rich businessman with close ties to the ruling party and government, was announced as Naloba’s president. Just three weeks after the association was launched, its leadership secured an appointment with the country’s top dogs this week at State House.
Accompanying President Hage Geingob in the meeting were Vice-President Nangolo Mbumba and Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila. Several Cabinet ministers as well as governors of Omusati and Oshikoto Erginus Endjala and Penda yaNdakolo were also in attendance.
A week earlier, the Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NCCI) issued a statement blasting “divisive factions within the business community” and “misguided individuals” who are taking advantage of the suffering and desperation of the business community, in an apparent jibe at Naloba, which itself had a go at NCCI during its launch at Ongwediva.
Namibia Airports Company CEO Bisey /Uirab is current president of NCCI, but Naloba vice-president Peter ‘Kanu’ Amadhila, at the association’s launch, said “we are not going to be led by CEOs of corporates or parastatals. We are not going to be led by employees”, according to The Namibian.
NCCI said its board of directors comprises of “people of integrity with commendable track records in business leadership”. Geingob’s advisor on constitutional affairs and private sector interface, Inge Zaamwani-Kamwi, is an honorary NCCI board member.
The NCCI also blew the horn on the composition of its national leadership, saying it speaks to its ethos of inclusivity. “NCCI, as a member of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), echoes the views of that international body and supports global strides being made to ensure integrity, transparency, and inclusion in our economy,” it said.
Unity
Hours before Geingob met the Naloba leadership on Wednesday, he had previously received delegates of the Black Business Leadership Network of Namibia, which has been campaigning against the way they are treated by both government and the banking sector.
On The Evening Review yesterday, Amadhila said they aim to be the most representative business body in the country.
Speaking to the Naloba delegation, Geingob, Mbumba and Kuugongelwa-Amadhila urged the association to be inclusive.
“Unity is important. When the Boers [apartheid government] gave us homelands, they said we cannot live together. I hope we are not going back to homelands; I hope we are building a Namibian nation through your organisation,” Geingob told the delegation.
Mbumba said: “You have a challenge, you are going to be accused that you are separating, expect that. Make an effort to attract people from other regions, towns, backgrounds”.
Kuugongelwa-Amadhila added: “You need to make it your agenda to bring on others”.
Don’t do what we do
Addressing the government leaders, Amadhila urged government to create policy frameworks that would leave certain industries to Namibians only.
“We want foreign investors to do what Namibians cannot do, we want them to open bigger businesses beyond our capacities. Naloba supports international investors, but they must not do what we do,” he said.
Naloba, according to him, was keen to advise government on policy matters affecting local businesses.
“Naloba would like to advise government to localise and protect Namibian economic growth to assist our government to create jobs and beneficial work opportunities for Namibian people, in particular the youth and graduates through business,” he said.
Cracks are widening within Namibia’s business community, as the cake continues to become smaller due in part to current economic conditions. On 25 February, northern-based business owners announced the establishment of the Namibia Local Businesses Association (Naloba) at Ongwediva. It has in its structures powerful business personalities such as Erastus ‘Chicco’ Shapumba and David ‘Kambwa’ Sheehama – a powerful business pair in the north. Shapumba, a very influential and rich businessman with close ties to the ruling party and government, was announced as Naloba’s president. Just three weeks after the association was launched, its leadership secured an appointment with the country’s top dogs this week at State House.
Accompanying President Hage Geingob in the meeting were Vice-President Nangolo Mbumba and Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila. Several Cabinet ministers as well as governors of Omusati and Oshikoto Erginus Endjala and Penda yaNdakolo were also in attendance.
A week earlier, the Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NCCI) issued a statement blasting “divisive factions within the business community” and “misguided individuals” who are taking advantage of the suffering and desperation of the business community, in an apparent jibe at Naloba, which itself had a go at NCCI during its launch at Ongwediva.
Namibia Airports Company CEO Bisey /Uirab is current president of NCCI, but Naloba vice-president Peter ‘Kanu’ Amadhila, at the association’s launch, said “we are not going to be led by CEOs of corporates or parastatals. We are not going to be led by employees”, according to The Namibian.
NCCI said its board of directors comprises of “people of integrity with commendable track records in business leadership”. Geingob’s advisor on constitutional affairs and private sector interface, Inge Zaamwani-Kamwi, is an honorary NCCI board member.
The NCCI also blew the horn on the composition of its national leadership, saying it speaks to its ethos of inclusivity. “NCCI, as a member of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), echoes the views of that international body and supports global strides being made to ensure integrity, transparency, and inclusion in our economy,” it said.
Unity
Hours before Geingob met the Naloba leadership on Wednesday, he had previously received delegates of the Black Business Leadership Network of Namibia, which has been campaigning against the way they are treated by both government and the banking sector.
On The Evening Review yesterday, Amadhila said they aim to be the most representative business body in the country.
Speaking to the Naloba delegation, Geingob, Mbumba and Kuugongelwa-Amadhila urged the association to be inclusive.
“Unity is important. When the Boers [apartheid government] gave us homelands, they said we cannot live together. I hope we are not going back to homelands; I hope we are building a Namibian nation through your organisation,” Geingob told the delegation.
Mbumba said: “You have a challenge, you are going to be accused that you are separating, expect that. Make an effort to attract people from other regions, towns, backgrounds”.
Kuugongelwa-Amadhila added: “You need to make it your agenda to bring on others”.
Don’t do what we do
Addressing the government leaders, Amadhila urged government to create policy frameworks that would leave certain industries to Namibians only.
“We want foreign investors to do what Namibians cannot do, we want them to open bigger businesses beyond our capacities. Naloba supports international investors, but they must not do what we do,” he said.
Naloba, according to him, was keen to advise government on policy matters affecting local businesses.
“Naloba would like to advise government to localise and protect Namibian economic growth to assist our government to create jobs and beneficial work opportunities for Namibian people, in particular the youth and graduates through business,” he said.
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