Sipapela Denies Muyongo Abduction Mission

By Risco LumameziLINYANTI Constituency Councillor and a Member of Parliament shot down allegations of having trip visits to abduct the Caprivi separatist leader and others as baseless.

Mr. Cletius Sipapela Sipapela confirmed to Caprivi Vision that his recent trips to Switzerland, London, Washington and Canada was made possible by the National Council (second Parliament of the Republic of Namibia) led by Margret Natalie Mensah–Williams as the Vice Chairperson under the delegation headed by Theo-Ben Gurirab, Speaker of the National Assembly of Namibia who was handing over his Presidency of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU ).

“ My disappointment to the newspapers they only contacted Muyongo in Denmark instead of the Chairperson here, my passport and air tickets are available.”

He also admitted that as a relative to some of the people who are in exile and Dukwi refugee camp he is obliged to talk to them in a right way but not in the way it was reported that he was spotted in Toronto with two Caprivian Refugees Mr.Joseph Muchali and Mr.Edward Ndopu .

He also told me that he was the personal assistant to former Caprivi Governor Mr. Leonard Mwilima when they were negotiating the return of the Namibians who are currently in Botswana.

“ I didn’t join SWAPO under frustrations , I joined SWAPO with concept of mind and there’s nothing that will come into my mind to become a criminal to destroy my political career ” quashed Mr. Sipapela.

His Lawyer Mr. Profysen Muluti also confirmed that they have issued a notification letter of legal proceedings to a local English weekly paper with claims of N$1.5 million for defamation.

The law firm is also seeking an apology and promised to continue with the case of defamatory if failure to pay an amount of one and half million Namibian dollars this month will continue with the law suit in demanding a total of N$ 3000,000.00 for damaging its client (Mr. Sipapela).

Mr. Sipapela strongly dismissed reports on allegations of abducting the Caprivi leader, Mr.Mishake Muyongo and other Caprivian leaders who are said to be the master minds of attempt to separate the Caprivi Region from Namibia.Earlier after the publication, honourable Councillor Sipapela also went on the State Local Radio Station denying those reports that he was under a mission of abducting the wanted men to come and face charges of treason.“Our client left Namibia on the 13th October 2011 and returned to Namibia on the 14th November 2011. During the said period our client was on an official trip performing his duties as a member of parliament (National Council) subsequent to being invited by the Vice Chairperson of the National Council and the Vice President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), to accompany her with others on the aforesaid trip.” Mr. Muluti said in the letter faxed to Caprivi Vision.

According to Mr.Sipapela’s lawyer the purpose of the trip was for Parliamentarians or the delegates to attend capacity building training and share experience with fellow parliamentarians from other countries.
The delegation was headed by Honourable Mensah-Williams in the company of the Katima Mulilo Urban Constituency Councillor, Honourable Bernard Sibalatani, Honourable Lebbius Tangeni Tobias of Tsumeb Constituency, Gobabis Councillor Phillipus Wido Katamelo, two administrative staff members and Mr.Sipapela.

The letter also added that the delegation visited Bern, Switzerland for IPU Session, London in the United Kingdom for Parliamentary visits and Domestic Violence Control Measures, Washington DC in the nited States for Parliamentary functions of standing committees, Vancouver in Canada for Parliamentary visit and briefing on the operations of the Commonwealth Open Learning (OPL).

The whole trip was approved and funded by the National Council of Namibia “Our client is a member of the Caprivi Regional Council, representing Linyanti Constituency, and also a member of the National Council representing Caprivi region and Chairperson of Parliamentary Standing Committee on Habitat which is responsible on rural water and sanitation.”

Honourable Bernard Sibalatani, Councillor of Katima Mulilo Urban Constituency also told this paper when he was reached for clarity that the allegations were unfounded and he confirmed having a trip visit together in Switzerland for an Inter-Parliamentary Union .

Mr. Sibalatani added that he left the country for a Pan African Parliament which was held October 2-13 , 2011 in South Africa, He left Mr. Sipapela abroad who was still attending to other trips of national interest then He ( Mr.Sibalatani ) returned to Namibia on October 22, 2011.“ We were together and we are wondering about those allegations, they are lot of contradictions being a chief whip I know we went with diplomatic passports, which means they are no possibilities of that he can be arrested for making those allegation” explained the SWAPO chief whip .

He further said that reports in the newspapers were baseless that could come from the member of the rebel groups who heard the trip and thought that they could be something or either some political individuals within the party who wanted to tarnish the image of Honourable Sipapela.

Meanwhile Mr.Muyongo’s ex- young brother in law Mr. Joseph Muchali who is also mentioned in the report of having a private meeting with Mr. Sipapela in Canada, confirmed to Caprivi Vision saying “ From the onset let me categorically state that those claims of abduction and assassination are totally unfounded and smells of an amateurish smear campaign to deflect Namibians from talking about real issues, such as a lasting political solution on the fate of Namibian refugees and political prisoners.” Said Mr. Muchali.

“Who would want to abduct or assassinate Mishake Muyongo now after have lived a stone away from Namibia a decade ago, who harmed him? Why is he or his political bankrupt crew throwing cheap shots -knowing that it’s all lies?…Now, I would have wanted to meet Hon. Cletius Sipapela, the Councillor for Linyanti Constituency, in Canada if it was true, but the story was false.” Explained Mr. Muchali.

According to Mr. Muchali, a Caprivian Refugee who is currently living in Canada extended his respect to Mr. Sipapela as an honourable man who does not pose a threat to anyone, be it the whimpering secessionist mob.

“Sipapela is a friend and family to many alleged secessionists who reside in Dukwi refugee camp and elsewhere in Europe and North America. He has the interest of the people at heart considering that he had been involved with the calling back of all exiles since the time of Caprivi Governor Leonard Mwilima.”

He further called Namibians across political divides “to join and support the ever noble efforts and initiatives demonstrated by Hon. Cletius Sipapela, and the Namibian government must unilaterally take that bold political decision of releasing all political prisoners and bringing all Namibian refugees back home.”However, Mr. Mishake Muyongo , a Caprivi Separatist leader told this paper earlier when he was contacted for comments on Mr. Muchali’s call for Pardon to the Namibian president and pressure groups in Namibia and abroad who then responded that“ Why should I be granted a Pardon … I did not kill anybody in Namibia, I can only come back home when Caprivi will be independent” he stressed.

Muyongo was once quoted by this paper in October this year with confidence that he will remain the leader of the Caprivi Strip, “You know, I am a messenger of the Caprivi that’s all and nobody else, people of the Caprivi, I owe my life to them, whatever I die for them, I live for them… that is the end of the story, not anybody else ‘No no no’ those are irrelevant people, to me they are nomadic as far as Caprivi is concerned,” said Mr. Muyongo.