The Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security’s online visa application portal is allegedly in the control of a private individual who has powers to overrule official decisions.
The Issue has also learnt that the ministry is not in control of the computerised system, with officials needing permission from the individual controlling the system to access it and that a Kenyan entity is responsible for collecting visa application fees on government’s behalf.
These revelations came at a time when the ministry announced that it generated N$413 million through its visa-on-arrival system in less than 12 months.
The ministry has not responded to detailed questions sent last week.
Believed to be at the centre of the controversy is Indian national Ankur Kathuria, who works as the commissioner responsible for the information communication technology directorate at the Namibian Correctional Services (prisons), also falling under the home affairs ministry.
The Issue understands that over a year ago, Kathuria was somehow allowed to develop Namibia’s online visa application platform for free for the ministry.
At least three people briefed about the situation told The Issue that Kathuria has refused to grant the ministry’s ICT department full access to the system, creating an environment where he is in total control of the system and not the ministry.
More worrisome are concerning allegations being made that Kathuria has been accused of unilaterally using his control of the system to reverse ministry decisions to refuse or decline specific visa applications by granting such visas by a click of keyboard button.
Such powers are only vested within the responsibilities of the immigration directorate in the ministry.
KENYAN COLLECTION
Another complaint about this arrangement is the fact that money collected from visa applications are not directly paid to the Namibian government.
Senior government officials briefed on the matter told The Issue that the money is collected by an entity called Asian Pacific. The entity is believed to be Kenyan-registered and receives the money before passing it on to the Namibian government.
The Issue understands that the arrangement might have been necessitated by the fact that international payment platforms like PayPal do not function fully in Namibia yet, while such services are offered in Kenya. But it appears as though Asian Pacific is earning service facilitation fees as well as allegedly pocketing some of the interest earned in the process as the money does not reach Namibia instantly, with a layover of about 48 hours before being paid over to the Namibian government.
