(MISA/IFEX) – On 5 July 2000, the board of the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) announced a number of sweeping changes to the top management of the corporation, arguing that the move was in line with new cost saving mechanisms. However, speculation is rife that the board’s decision was politically motivated, particularly its decision to demote […]
(MISA/IFEX) – On 5 July 2000, the board of the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) announced a number of sweeping changes to the top management of the corporation, arguing that the move was in line with new cost saving mechanisms. However, speculation is rife that the board’s decision was politically motivated, particularly its decision to demote the controller of news and current affairs, Norah Appolus.
Appolus told MISA that when she confronted the chairman of the board, Henry Uazuva Kaumbi, on the decision to demote her, he said it was because of “the fish story” [which involved reports about damaged tins of export fish, and which the government claimed was a ploy to sabotage the fishing industry], and the news department’s coverage of the recent elections in Zimbabwe. Kaumbi apparently told Appolus that there was resentment about the fact that the leader of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) in Zimbabwe, Morgan Tsvangirai, had been described as “charismatic” in an NBC report. Appolus further said that in a telephone conversation with her, Kaumbi admitted that there was general unhappiness within the ruling South West Africa People’s Organisation (SWAPO) about the way the party was being reflected in the news. Kaumbi, who was appointed by the government along with his new board only last month, served as a SWAPO election campaign spokesperson last year and appeared on NBC during an allotted SWAPO election slot to deliver the party’s message.
Appolus, who was appointed news chief at the end of 1999, has now been demoted to manager of training. Of the four senior managers affected, Appolus was the only one who was demoted and replaced. The other managers’ posts were either frozen or downgraded. Those affected were Senior Controller for Auxiliary and Support Services Vitura Kavari, who was moved to a lower post and had his former post scrapped; Controller for Specialised Services Jimmy Amupala, whose post was downgraded after his unit was merged with another unit, and; Controller for Administration and Logistics Martin Venter, who was demoted to another section after his unit was merged with another unit. The news division which Appolus headed was not restructured.
At a news conference on 6 July, Kaumbi denied that anyone at the NBC had been demoted, adding that those whose positions had been downgraded will still keep their salary packages.
Amupala, when contacted by MISA, admitted that while he was well aware of plans to restructure the corporation, the changes were not discussed beforehand and took them by surprise. He added that he could not say directly whether his redeployment was politically
motivated, but that he could not rule it out completely either.
Appolus confirmed to MISA that she will be taking the matter up with the courts.
NBC radio and television reaches more than ninety percent of the population and is the only source of news to a large proportion of Namibians.
Recommended Action
Send appeals to the chairman of the NBC board:
– protesting the board’s decision and reasons advanced for Appolus’ demotion
– noting that the reasons for her demotion appear politically motivated and related to editorial matters, in which the board should not be involved
– recalling Kaumbi’s statements on being appointed chairperson of the NBC board in June that the common objective of the new board of directors would be to “promote the NBC into a dynamic organisation and to make it the true champion of freedom of expression”
– pointing out that the alleged reasons he had advanced for Appolus’ demotion flew in the face of this statement, and in fact undermined the editorial independence and integrity of the NBC’s news department
– calling on him to ensure that the editorial independence of the NBC, as public broadcaster, is not tainted by political appointments or political interference
Send appeals to the acting minister of foreign affairs, information and broadcasting:
– expressing concern about the alleged politically-motivated reasons for Appolus’ removal from her post
– calling on him – as the minister currently responsible for protecting the integrity of the NBC – to defend the editorial independence of the corporation, and ensure that the news department in particular is insulated from political interference and political appointments
Copies of your protest letters should be sent to Minister of Foreign Affairs, Information and Broadcasting Theo Ben Gurirab, who is currently in New York, serving as the president of the United Nations General Assembly.
Appeals To
APPEALS TO:Mr Henry Uazuva Kaumbi
Chairperson of the NBC Board of Directors
Fax: +264 61 291 3325Mr Tuliameni Kalomoh
Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, Information and Broadcasting
Fax: +264 61 223937cc: Mr Theo Ben Gurirab
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Information and Broadcasting
Fax: +1 212 9638196Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
