MPs’ Declarations

A tale of cars, farms, houses, fat bank accounts and N$1,300 pension claims

• By Kaipaherue Kandjii

The latest declaration of assets ranging from land, money, and vehicles owned by lawmakers in the National Assembly depicts a synopsis of the increasing gap between the rich and less privileged in Namibia.

The list of assets, albeit shrouded in secrecy as a few notable heavyweights in politics strangely or deliberately opted to declare nothing, paints a picture of a clique of wealthy individuals under the inequality ranking.

Cabinet Ministers

The majority of wealth is held by long-serving members, including the labour minister, Uutoni Nujoma, who boasts accounts with investment firms ranging from Sanlam to the FNB and has government bonds, treasury bills, and interests in many companies.

Nujoma, according to his declaration, at least has interests or co-owns 10 percent of a fishing firm, Oshiwana Bee, 24 percent of Tsumkwe Gam Trust, Okawe, Etosha Fishing, Namibia Harvest, and Namibia Quarries.

Nujoma has also accumulated shares in Old Mutual, HSBC in the United Kingdom, Barclays, and Sanlam Namibia, worth millions of dollars.

An estimated tally brings some of the disclosed savings to N$43.1 million.

Former managing director of the Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR) Tobie Aupindi has amassed the majority of his wealth from the petroleum industry, where he owns shares in companies such as Titan Incor and Hydrocarbon Corporation, based in the United States (US).

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