Ref: 13/6/13
26 February 2008

MEDIA RELEASE ON MISHAKE MUYONGO’S NEW YEAR’S MESSAGE PUBLISHED IN THE LATEST EDITION OF THE CAPRIVI VISION

The publication of fugitive Mishake Muyongo’s inciting New Year’s message in the Caprivi Vision, one of the community newspapers in the Caprivi region, is a blatant demonstration of disregard for the Namibian Constitution by the editor of the publication, Mr. Risco Lumamezi. His action, to allow his newspaper to be used as a mouthpiece for Mr. Muyongo’s calls for an independent Caprivi, can well result in him being prosecuted under existing laws and in line with Article 21 (2) of the Namibian Constitution.

The Namibian Government condemns in the strongest possible terms the publication in newspapers of inciting messages by Mr. Mishake Muyongo or anybody else who plans to use that powerful platform to destabilise the peace and security in the country.

Although the Constitution guarantees the fundamental freedoms of Namibians, including freedom of speech, expression and the freedom of the media (Article 21 (1) (a)), the same Constitution in Article 21 (2) is clear that such freedoms shall be exercised subject to the laws of Namibia. The misuse and abuse of fundamental freedoms may lead to criminal charges when it touches on among others the sovereignty and integrity of Namibia, national security and the incitement to an offence. The Caprivi Vision overstepped all limits when it afforded Mr. Muyongo the opportunity to use the newspaper to incite Namibian citizens to unite and fight for a free and independent Caprivi.

Mr. Muyongo, the mastermind behind the failed secessionist attempt in the Caprivi region in 1999, fled Namibia after the failed secession and he is now living in safety in Denmark, while his accomplices have to face the music for his failed plans. His tricks to continue inciting Namibians in the Caprivi region from a distance to work towards the “freedom and independence” of Caprivi is the trademark of a coward and not worthy of receiving publicity.

Mr. Muyongo is a disgruntled politician who failed to destabilise the country in 1999 and who would leave no stone unturned to shatter the existing peace, harmony and stability in a sovereign Namibia to serve his own, selfish purposes. In pursuing his objectives, he has to resort to community newspapers, often starved for news, to voice his dissenting views.

What makes his actions more dubious and repulsive, is that he personally represented his former party, the DTA of Namibia, at the unanimous adoption the Namibian Constitution on 9 February 1990. By putting his signature on the Constitution, he bound himself to Namibia’s supreme law, which clearly states in Article 1 (1) that “the Republic of Namibia is hereby established as a sovereign, secular, democratic and unitary State founded upon the principles of democracy, the rule of law and justice for all”.

The Government also wants to caution the editor of Caprivi Vision to tread carefully in matters which he does not seem to have an understanding. His explanation of publishing the Muyongo New Year’s message to start a debate does not hold water. There is nothing to debate. Caprivi is part of Namibia and Caprivi will remain part of Namibia as per the Constitutional provisions that established the Republic of Namibia on 21 March 1990.




MBEUTA UA-NDJARAKANA
PERMANENT SECRETARY
MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING