Lahja Nashuuta
The Trade Union Congress of Namibia (Tucna) will interrogate the government’s actions on economic transformation, job-creation and resource redistribution at its upcoming elective congress.
This is according to Tucna’s secretary general Mahongora Kavihuha, during a recent interview with this publication ahead of the union’s fifth elective congress slated for 29 to 30 April in Walvis Bay.
The congress will also review some of Tucna’s policy proposals, take stock on and gauge the union’s achievements and shortcomings.
The congress will focus on four pillars, namely economic transformation and job-creation, governance, democracy, redistribution and sharing resources, and social development.
“Namibia is suffering because of bad leadership in the sense that wrong people are placed at the right positions, or right positions given to the wrong people,” Kavihuha charged.
He added that the current economic structures “do not allow Namibians to play a role, and most of the businesses have been pushed into the informal economy. The gathering will interrogate the aspects and issues that have to do with economic transformation and job creation”.
“The congress will review government progress in terms of social protection, universal basic grant and quality healthcare, health and safety at work and home, and the issue of single mothers and youth,” he noted.
Kavihuha said at the end of each session, trade unions are expected to come up with recommendations and proposals that they will take, and let the government know what the workers want.
“We are an independent alliance, and our agenda is that Namibia prosper,” he said.
Tucna, according to Kavihuha, acknowledges that it cannot achieve much on its own, but through building alliances with like-minded organizations and individuals, with workers’ interests at the centre.
The union will also elect its new leadership that will drive the workers’ agenda for the next five years.
At present, the union is headed by Paulus Hango as president.