Virtually all of the N$ 150 million strong government contingency fund has gone to fill financial holes for half of the 22 ministries, to avoid the tabling of an additional budget. At a special 90-minute session on Wednesday afternoon, Finance Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila instead read out a short ministerial statement, briefly touching on where the N$148 odd millions went to. It is the first time no additional budget was tabled since 1990. The MPs did not even have copies of the speech in their hands and some opposition members tried frantically to scribble down figures during the speech. Only two short questions could be asked and gone were the millions. Taking money from the contingency fund did not need the approval of the National Assembly. The special session was "totally unnecessary" one opposition MP remarked to PLUS afterwards. "We could have stayed at home and they could have just faxed us the speech of the finance minister", the MP noted. "Why do we have a parliament? The government is doing as it pleases".

The electoral commission received an extra N$ 30 million, the NBC another N$ 2,5 million for its live coverage during the national elections and the NDF received N$ 8 million "for monitoring the elections" (?). The DBC commission of inquiry got N$ 3 million, the new State House construction got another N$ 53 million. President Sam Nujoma’s office received N$ 4,5 million for "unforeseen operational expenditure, whatever that means. But that was not all: Nujoma’s administration got another N$ 2,5 million "to buy land for the National Youth Service" and the retirement package for President Nujoma will cost another N$ 1,7 million. The funeral of an officially declared "national hero", Maxton Mutongolume, cost N$ 180 000, coughed up by the taxpayers. The ministry of justice received N$ 350 000 for the "protection of witnesses" in the Caprivi treason court case. More bad news for the small band of Namibian taxpayers is that the GDP will be lower (no figures revealed) in 2004 than predicted. Revenue collections will be 3-4% lower than expected, equivalent to N$ 320 million. Merry Christmas!