Pohamba buys two mercs ahead of his inauguration

Written by Patience Nyangove and Max Hamata
Thursday, 26 November 2009

PRESIDENT Hifikepunye Pohamba has ordered two state-of-the-art S600L Mercedes Benz costing taxpayers about N$10 million - equivalent to the annual salaries for 20 specialist doctors or Anti-retroviral drugs for 26,000 people per month, Informanté has unearthed.



The shocking revelation comes just shortly before Pohamba would be confirmed Namibian President for his second term next week when the results for the Presidential and Parliamentary election are announced.

His decision to acquire an armoured Mercedes Benz S600L and an unarmoured one with optional extras worth N$127,000, is in contrast to Pohamba’s zero tolerance on wasting of public resources according to his declaration when he was sworn as President on 21 March 2005.

“That’s a lot of money to squander on luxurious items like cars and could build a full medical laboratory, supply ARVs to HIV positive women and even cover annual salaries of 20 specialist doctors,” said a medical doctor who asked not to be named.

An inside source at the Office of the President told Informanté that the Presidency was advised against purchasing new vehicles as the conditions of the current Mercedes Presidential motorcade was still good and since he had just bought six new Toyota Land cruisers to beef up his motorcade.

The source added that the Office of the President was also advised to use an idle armoured Mercedes Benz bought shortly before former President Sam Nujoma had demoted former Prime Minister Geingob to a ministerial level.

“Hage’s vehicle is still parked and nobody is using it,” said the source.

Documents in possession of Informanté show that Ndeutala Angolo, Permanent Secretary in the Office of the President ordered the Ministry of Works and Transport to acquire one Mercedes Benz S600L B6/B7 protection auto (armoured) and one Mercedes Benz S600L unarmoured.

In a letter dated 18 August 2009 addressed to Ministry of Works and Transport’s Permanent Secretary, George Simataa, under reference 5/1/1, Angolo requests the Ministry to assist with the acquisition of the two vehicles.

A quotation dated 22 September 2009 from M+Z Motors, Windhoek, shows that the Mercedes Benz S600L Guard/Armoured costs a staggering N$6,212,000 inclusive of value added tax and with extras that include a folding table in the rear seat which costs N$23,000 with a driving assistance package which costs a further N$34,000 bringing the total price to N$6,269,000.

The second vehicle, an unarmoured Mercedes Benz S600L costs N$1,626,000 and comes with options of a refrigerator in the rear seat costing N$13,000, folding table in rear costing N$23,000 and a driving assistance package valued at N$34,000 with the end total coming to N$1,676,000.

Informanté has it on good account that the costs will escalate to N$10 million with transportation and import duties.

When contacted for comment, Angolo said she was not aware of the acquisition of the cars although a letter in possession of Informanté plainly shows that she is the one who wrote to the Ministry of Works and Transport seeking their assistance.

“Those are Government cars and it’s the responsibility of the Ministry of Works and Transport. We are just users and we pay to use those cars and so I have no news on this,” she said.

Minister of Transport and Works, Helmut Angula professed ignorance over the acquisition of the two vehicles saying he did not know anything about the cars.