By Tracy Tafirenyika | 6 March 2025
Roads Contractor Company (RCC) acting chief executive officer Dasius Nelumbu allegedly hand-picked the Ondonga and Oukwanyama traditional authorities for a road maintenance tender worth N$6 million.
The two authorities were awarded the tender despite not having the capacity to carry out the grading unit project, and subsequently subcontracted the work.
The Ondonga Traditional Authority subcontracted work to Joto Investment, led by Jonathan Amupolo, and the Oukwanyama Traditional Authority subcontracted to controversial businessman Kongo Mokaxwa.
The tender is for the maintenance of roads in the Ondonga and Oukwanyama authority areas for a period of two years.
It will cost N$250 000 per month, amounting to N$6 million over two years.
Nelumbu has since said the tender was awarded by the RCC board as a “social allocation” to support the traditional authorities and their affected communities.
A government source, however, yesterday told The Namibian that traditional authorities cannot be awarded a grading tender without equipment.
The source said Nelumbu’s decision to award the two authorities the tender was questionable.
A letter dated 10 July 2024 shows that Ondonga Traditional Authority (OTA) secretary Frans Enkali accepted the tender and nominated another company, Joto Investment, as subcontractor.
“This letter serves to certify that the Ondonga Traditional Authority (OTA) has accepted the offer for the grading unit with appreciation. It further provides that the OTA has nominated Joto Investment, a small and medium enterprise, as the subcontractor, as per the RCC’s requirement, to work on behalf of the OTA.
“Additionally, the allocation of the tender has been communicated to Joto Investment, which in turn has accepted the offer,” he said.
Enkali said the tender would contribute to employment in the area.
“The OTA is confident that this tender will positively contribute to employment creation and the eradication of abject poverty among members of the community,” he said.
Joto Investment managing member Jonathan Amupolo yesterday said the traditional authority awarded his company the tender because they had the equipment to carry out the work.
“We got work from the Ondonga Traditional Authority (OTA) because they did not have the equipment and we had it, so they put us as subcontractors.
“We told the OTA that we were struggling to get work and it was only big companies getting tenders. That is how we were considered, and we are happy and all the processes were followed,” he said.
Another document, dated 12 August 2024, shows the RCC confirming Kongom Group as the successful subcontractor for the Oukwanyama Traditional Authority’s grading tender.
Mokaxwa directed The Namibian to the Oukwanyama Traditional Authority for comment.
“I am not the right person to give comment on that matter,” he said.
Andrew Naikaku, Oukwanyama Traditional Authority spokesperson, in turn referred The Namibian to Fritz Nghiishililwa, the traditional authority’s secretary to the queen.
“He knows about that grading tender, he is the secretary to the queen and he is the one who was organising meetings regarding the tender,” Naikaku said.
Nghiishililwa said he would comment on Monday after doing some research.
According to documents seen by The Namibian, Nelumbu visited the two traditional authorities last year to hand over the awarding letter to Queen Nelumbu and the head of the Ondonga Traditional Authority, Fillemon Nangolo, on 5 July 2024.
“Please prepare and arrange my trip to the north starting from Friday, 5 July 2024 and returning 10 July 2024 to the Oukwanyama palace and to the Ondonga palace on 9 July 2024.
“This should be in order. Both letters are delivered in person to the Queen of Oukwanyama and the King of Ondonga,” Nelumbu said in an email dated 3 July last year.
“When handing over the letters, it was me and two RCC employees who are site agents,” he said.
Nelumbu yesterday defended the awarding of contracts to the traditional authorities.
He said it aimed to support and empower local communities where the RCC has road projects.
“The traditional authorities have more visibility on businesses that operate in their communities and that have direct impact to its community members.
“The reason for this is that the proceeds of such projects also benefit the traditional authorities to enable them to better serve their communities,” he said.
Nelumbu said the awarding of contracts to the traditional authorities had the blessings of the RCC’s board of directors.
“I do not do project allocation, the collective internal process does so. This is a management collective effort, and not a single person’s action. A traditional authority is not at my or your level and should at all times be treated with the highest respect,” he said.
Nelumbu denied being related to the Oukwanyama queen.
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) is investigating Nelumbu over corruption allegations involving three tenders.
ACC spokesperson Josefina Nghituwamhata last month said investigations into two of the cases are at an advanced stage.
“The ACC has close to three cases registered with allegations of corruption against the RCC,” she said.
Nghituwamhata said the third case was recently reported.
“The third case was recently reported to the commission and is currently receiving much-needed attention,” she said.
Nghituwamhata declined to discuss specifics regarding the three cases.
“Once the investigation is finished, we will be able to provide more information,” she said.
The Namibian has reported that documents show one of the contracts under scrutiny is a N$1.5-million fuel supply tender awarded to Eco Fuel CC.
Another RCC case involves allegations of overpaying subcontractors.
State-related resources, such as fishing quotas, have been freely given to traditional authorities for many years.
The Namibian reported last year that the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources has questioned the management of a company co-owned by the Oukwanyama Traditional Authority after concerns about alleged irregular transactions and the transfer of shares to private individuals.
Namibian Sun three years ago reported that several traditional leaders were up in arms over the spending of about N$24 million from fishing quota sales that was paid to a company owned by a trust controlled by traditional authorities.
