I don’t think Namcor wants me – Mulunga
Former MD unsure of returning to work following Labour Court victory
Former National Petroleum Corporation of Namibia (Namcor) managing director (MD) Imms Mulunga says the company has not contacted him following his victory in an unfair dismissal case against it.
Mulunga won the case after a ruling passed by arbitrator Moses Mazambo in the Labour Court on Friday.
“They have not reached out to me yet. Maybe they will still do so in due course. I really don’t know. I don’t think I’m wanted, to be honest,” Mulunga told The Namibian yesterday.
He was fired on 8 August 2024, but challenged the decision by filing a case of unfair dismissal with the Labour Court.
Namcor later retaliated with its own case on 8 November last year, accusing Mulunga of discrimination and breach of contract.
In his ruling on Friday, Mazambo rejected Namcor’s complaint and instead sided with Mulunga, ordering the company to pay him N$4 000 in Labour Court costs.
“In the premise, this tribunal hereby orders the following: The applicant’s points are hereby upheld that the dispute referred to the Labour Commissioner dated 8 November 2024 by the respondent is hereby dismissed,” Mazambo said.
He further ruled: “The matter is removed from the roll and regarded as finalised. This order is final and binding on both parties and will be made an order of the Labour Court.”
Mulunga led Namcor for eight years before his dismissal.
The ruling leaves questions about whether he would be reinstated and whether both parties are willing to pursue further engagement.
Namcor spokesperson Utaara Hoveka yesterday said: “I am consulting the relevant authorities and will revert soonest.”
THE ANGOLAN DEAL
At the heart of the dispute is a 2021 board meeting during which, according to Namcor, Mulunga committed the company to a US$6.7 million (N$123 million) payment for an oil block in Angola without proper board approval.
The board later claimed it was misled and placed under “unfair pressure” to approve additional payments.
However, retired Supreme Court judge of appeal Gerhard Maritz, who chaired the disciplinary hearing, found that Namcor’s own resolution had given Mulunga sweeping powers in the Sungara joint venture. Despite this, the board expressed “shock and discomfort” about the manner in which the funds were committed without what they considered adequate oversight.
Mulunga, defending his actions, said the funds were transferred on the condition that they remain untouched in a Mauritius-based account until board approval was obtained. He claimed the money was later transferred by Sungara partners to Sonangol, Angola’s state oil company, without his approval.
He further explained that the N$123 million was eventually repaid to Namcor and maintained that his actions were taken in good faith to protect a valuable petroleum investment.
“Not saving this transaction was unthinkable to me as managing director of a world-class petroleum organisation,” Mulunga said at the time.
THE ENERCON DEAL
While the Angolan payment dominated headlines, another transaction ultimately sealed Mulunga’s fate at Namcor: the unauthorised acquisition of assets from military contractor Enercon Namibia.
The deal involved the purchase of strategic fuel storage and logistics assets, allegedly worth around N$60 million.
These assets were positioned as essential for Namcor’s downstream expansion strategy. However, the transaction raised red flags internally – mainly because it was executed without full board approval and outside the company’s usual procurement channels.
Namcor’s board viewed the deal as a serious breach of corporate governance.
In its internal communications, the board accused Mulunga of bypassing oversight structures, proceeding despite concerns about Enercon’s controversial background, including its ties to military-linked entities, and questions around how the assets were valued.
Despite being cleared by Maritz in the Sungara matter, Namcor’s board stood by its position that the Enercon transaction constituted serious misconduct.
On 8 August 2024 – just one day after the disciplinary ruling – the board officially terminated Mulunga’s employment, citing the Enercon matter as the final straw.
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