By Stefanus Nashama

The Agricultural Bank of 
Namibia (Agribank) chief executive officer, Dr. Raphael Karuaihe, has dismissed allegations that he denied receiving a directive from the ministry of agriculture, fisheries, water and forestry to implement a Cabinet-approved decision halting farm sales and related court proceedings.

This follows claims by disgruntled commercial farmers who recently told Confidente that Karuaihe had denied receiving such a directive.

They said they had written several letters to Karuaihe regarding the directive, but he allegedly denied ever seeing it. 
Responding this week, Karuaihe said he was unaware of the allegations until contacted for comment, and he rejected them outright. He added that the only correspondence he knows of are petitions from disgruntled employees about alleged executive irregularities at Agribank, matters he said were addressed last year.

“Regarding the alleged denial of receiving a directive from the ministry of agriculture, Agribank follows a formal records management and communication protocol. All official correspondences from line ministries are received through the bank’s central registry system and are formally acknowledged and processed. To my knowledge, I have never denied receipt of any such communication,” he said. Karuaihe confirmed that Agribank had received correspondence from the ministry of agriculture, addressed to the ministry of finance with Agribank copied in. The ministry of finance then forwarded the letter, along with additional information requests, to Agribank.

“We acknowledged and responded to the ministry. The referenced Cabinet directive is being handled with the seriousness it deserves and is under review by the ministry of agriculture in collaboration with Agribank and the ministry of finance to ensure the bank’s actions going forward are aligned with the Cabinet directive, while also safeguarding its financial sustainability and legal obligations,” he said.

Separately, sources alleged that Karuaihe owns a farm in Omaheke and, last year, applied for a livestock loan of about N$500,000 in the northern regions while residing in Windhoek at a time when Agribank was reportedly instructed to suspend farm-related transactions. They further claimed that he had been shielded from scrutiny by top officials.

Karuaihe, however, denied these claims, saying he had never been shielded by anyone and that, like any Namibian, he has the right to apply for a bank loan provided he meets the requirements. “Such allegations are entirely unfounded and without merit.  Agribank is governed by a board of directors and subject to oversight by the government through the line ministry. I report to the board and operate within the legal and regulatory framework that governs all public enterprises,” he said.

He added that his loan application was submitted in full compliance with internal procedures and that there was no directive to suspend farm-related transactions during his tenure. “It is not clear what the alleged crime is, is it that I applied at another branch while residing in Windhoek, or that I applied for a livestock loan? These allegations are false and misleading. Like any other citizen, I am entitled to apply for financing from any branch of Agribank, provided I meet the set criteria and declare any potential conflict of interest,” Karuaihe reiterated.