Mathews Hamutenya denies political connections in Namibia fuel deal amid controversy
via The Namibian5 min read
Businessman Mathews Hamutenya has denied political connections to State House and disavowed involvement in the Namibian government's decision to award international oil trader Vitol the sole right to supply fuel to Namibia for the next three months. Hamutenya's name surfaced on social media after the Minister of Industries, Mines and Energy, Modestus Amutse, announced the deal. This agreement is seen as beneficial for Hamutenya, who is a partner with Vitol in a storage facility. Hamutenya clarified that his business is with Vitol SA Ltd Pty, not Vitol Bahrain, the entity awarded the tender, despite a letter from the energy ministry instructing wholesalers to communicate fuel requirements to Vitol SA. The Independent Patriots for Change IPC party has previously linked Hamutenya's company, Millenium Investment Holdings, to the president's son, Ndeli Ndaitwah, who co-founded Vaneli Foods CC, listed as a subsidiary of Millennium Investment Holdings. Hamutenya stated he has known the Ndaitwah family for years and that his son and the president's son attended the same school, but denied any affiliation by blood or otherwise. The government's awarding of the contract to Vitol has raised concerns about competitiveness in the downstream retail sector, especially as Hamutenya's son, Miguel, recently acquired 52 service stations, making his company, Nasan Energies, the third-largest fuel retailer in Namibia. The Namibia Competition Commission had previously banned Nasan from purchasing
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by The Namibian.
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