The newly elected National Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW) leadership will have to live up to the expectations of their members and root out undemocratic re-groupings among the mother union and its affiliated unions, members demanded.
Corruption, coups, suspensions and controversial takeovers would not be tolerated, members further said.
The federation’s new leadership was also told to work in partnership with other unions not affiliated to NUNW, as they all aim to serve workers and their interests.
Ismael Kasuto was elected as the federation’s new president when he beat his challenger Lazarus Nangolo by three votes to obtain 134 votes early Friday morning. Kasuto is the current president of the Mine Workers Union (MUN), an affiliated member union of NUNW.
The second and third vice-president positions went to Albert Liswanizo and Phillipus Munenguni respectively. Liswanizo received 134 votes and Munenguni 126 votes.
Job Muniaro, who has been acting as secretary general since 2013, was elected into that position.
Muniaro had been acting as SG since Alfred Angula was suspended from the union in 2013 on allegations of fraud. Prior to that, Angula replaced former NUNW secretary general Evilastus Kaaronda when he was expelled in 2012. Kaaronda went on to establish his own union.
Muniaro is deputised by Tame Severeni.
Also, Barbara van der Westhuizen maintained her position as treasurer and Ndeshihafela Maputa was elected as vice-treasurer.
New Era learnt that the new NUNW leadership would, among their first priorities, tackle the issue of so-called essential services, particulary the fact that workers’ right to go on strike could be compromised.
“Why is NBC classified as an essential service? Who will die if NBC workers go on strike. Can we really classify you, New Era and NBC, as essential services just because you are government funded?” a unionist asked on Thursday.
“We should really guard against such decisions and challenge our leaders when such decisions are made. Nurses, police and teachers are essential but if strikes and petitioning will make our leadership listen to them, so be it.”
Others who also attended the congress told New Era that they want the newly-elected leadership to look at some corrupt union leaders critically and take strong measures against them.
“We cannot allow people that are corrupt to represent our workers as this tarnishes the whole body. Some employers could see this as an opportunity to exploit workers and this can be detrimental to our hard work and the future of employees,” a woman unionist said.
The Governor of the Erongo Region, Cleophas Mutjavikua, said during the May Day commemoration held at Walvis Bay on Friday that the newly-elected leadership should focus on real issues affecting workers. He urged delegates at the congress to put their rivalry behind them.
“You should take the example from the ruling party Swapo’s camaraderie, which sees members embrace each other after party meetings and congresses,” he added.