Introduce lifestyle audits to curb corruption

Recent claims that Trade and Industry Minister Dr Hage Geingob pocketed U$300 000 (about N$2, 5 million) from the sale of UraMin’s Trekkopje uranium project to French company Areva once again calls for a need to instigate lifestyle audits on some of Namibia’s exceedingly wealthy people.

Such an audit will be essential especially to those who live larger than their reported income would allow. Many countries have passed such legislation and it has been seen as an effective weapon in combating corruption.

Politicians have failed to refrain from actively taking part in matters in which they have direct or indirect financial interest.

We are by no means concluding that Geingob is guilty for his role as a ‘consultant’ to Canadian firm UraMin in 2006 and 2007, but the fact still remains that public servants still think they can get rich quickly using the influence of their positions. In this case, Geingob has dismissed the reports compiled by the Swiss firm ALP. According to media reports this week, the Swapo Vice-President confirmed that his company HG Consultancy worked as a consultant for the Canadian company and it only dealt with the UraMin obtaining a mining licence and played no role in the acquisition UraMin to Areva.

This reportedly happened while he was still a Swapo back-bencher in the National Assembly and way before he was appointed Minister of Trade and Industry by President Hifikepunye Pohamba. In a separate article, Geingob also maintained that he paid tax on every cent he earned in 2006-07 as consultant for UraMin. Interestingly, the reports have already been linked to the Swapo Presidency succession issue with loyal Geingob supporters of the opinion that their candidate’s good name is being dragged in the mud to portray him as a corrupt individual ahead of this year’s congress of the Swapo Party that will elect a new president who is also likely to take over from Pohamba as Head of State.

Politics aside, politicians especially MPs should lead by example and declare their assets and interests. In fact, they are already required to do so, but this has not been effective as only a handful MPs have declared their interests which includes positions held on boards of companies and other entities. The only way to enforce this is by fining those MPs who continually fail to declare their business interests.