DOABLE: Former health minister Dr Bernard Haufiku. Photo: File
DOABLE: Former health minister Dr Bernard Haufiku. Photo: File

Haufiku reveals plans for ‘incoming’ Swapo govt

Axed former health minister proposes sweeping changes
The former health minister has confirmed authoring a piece that vows to reduce the size of Cabinet and parliament after the upcoming Swapo congress.
Jemima Beukes
Jemima Beukes

WINDHOEK

“In the incoming Swapo government, we will create jobs while others are destroying [employment],” roared former health minister Bernard Haufiku in a widely circulated piece, in which he also wrote about plans to reduce the size of Cabinet.

Haufiku, the treasurer for Swapo’s Klein Windhoek branch, yesterday confirmed to Namibian Sun that he authored the article. Swapo politicians are gearing up for the congress in November, with campaigns set to officially kick off in September.

It is not known if Haufiku – who has been described by Swapo insiders as a ‘lone ranger’ – made the remarks on behalf of any of the camps that will contest at the congress. He refused to entertain questions about who he supports ahead of congress.

The two obvious camps so far comprise supporters of Swapo vice-president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah and Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila.

Myriad of plans

In his piece, medical doctor-turned-politician Haufiku also addressed plans to reduce the size of the Cabinet and empowering the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).

Following his unceremonious axing from Cabinet, Haufiku had vowed never to step a foot in the political arena again, but he now seems to have had a change of heart.

Rolling the dice

As things currently stand, Swapo’s revolving political door is closed for many of the aspiring presidential candidates at congress because of the infamous ‘Helmut Amendments’, which restrict the youth and many technocrats from having a chance to contest for top positions.

According to the 2018 amendments, those aspiring to the positions of president and vice-president must have served 10 consecutive years in the party’s central committee, a requirement that has kept many people out of the running.

Haufiku stated that the “incoming” Swapo leadership promises to reduce the size of Cabinet, the National Council and National Assembly.

“We will also either do away with the position of vice-president or that of prime minister because we have an executive president,” he wrote.

Geingob and former Law Reform and Development Commission chairperson Sacky Shanghala, who is currently in jail awaiting a corruption trial, championed the controversial 2014 constitutional amendments. The amendments saw an increase in the National Assembly seats from 78 to 104.

Green fingers

Haufiku claimed that the agriculture sector will be this new leadership’s main focus, with the second largest budget allocation after education. He wrote that building earth dams and reviving green schemes such as Sadikongoro, Ndonga linena, UVhungu-vhungu, will be prioritised.

“Omashare milk farm shall be working at its full potential within the first 24 months of the incoming president of the Swapo Party and Agribusdev will immediately be dismantled and private Namibian agribusiness entrepreneurs roped in to run these green schemes, with only technical help and funding from outsiders,” Haufiku said.

This sector, he believes, should create at least 10 000 jobs in the entire agriculture value chain. He added that the northern veterinary cordon fence, also called the red line, will be done away with, cautiously.

New rules

“We believe this is doable,” he wrote, adding that the defence budget will be significantly reduced while this new government will bring down the hammer on corruption as well as tax evaders.

“Tighter tax evasion, such as tax haven laws in the mining and fishing sectors, shall be introduced,” he wrote.

According to the former health minister, the fishing sector is expected to see great reform to make it truly meaningful for poor Namibians and rural populations, rather than only benefiting the urban-based individuals that make up the elite.

“We shall impose heavy tax on imported finished luxury items such as cars such as Range Rover, G-Wagons, Ferraris and others, while reducing tax on bicycles and small utility vehicles while developing and strengthening our railways and public transport especially in urban areas,” he claimed.

Geingob axed outspoken Haufiku from his Cabinet position in 2018.

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Namibian Sun 2024-11-23

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