Namibia: Swapo Internal Fights End Okahandja's Election



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CHAOS and the infighting in Swapo derailed the annual elections at the Okahandja Town Hall.

The city council meeting to elect a new mayor was postponed to a later date, following a disruption of debates by disgruntled residents.

A group of residents, led by Okahandja Community Committee Chair Kathleen Uri-Khos, disrupted the appointment of Mayor Johannes Hindjou, proposed by councilors.

Uri-Khos said that a directive from Swapo's secretary general, Sophia Shaningwa, should be followed.

This led to a concussion that led to the postponement of the proceedings by Magistrate Khaepriums Swarts until the intra-party talks in Namibia saw a note from Shaningwa addressed to the regional coordinator Swapo for Otjozondjupa, Susan Hikopua , November 12, 2018.

Shaningwa ordered that current deputy mayor Sofia Upithe be appointed mayor, while Gideon Uwa-Khaeb becomes deputy mayor, while Hileni Iita and Helmi Maruru would become members of the executive committee.

"I am writing here to direct your office to make the following changes to local officials of the local authority of Okahandja," she wrote.

Shaningwa added that the other Swapo advisers not mentioned above should be ordinary members of the board.

"Holders of the local authorities of Okahandja, as stated above by the Swapo party, should therefore be sworn in accordance with the law on local authorities," reads the directive.

Asked about Shaningwa's directive, Hikopua replied that she had received it and passed it on to Assistant Coordinator Martha Kandiwapa, who, however, expressed her dissatisfaction. "The general secretary did not consult us at the regional or district level about the reshuffle that she wanted to make to the Okahandja council, and when the regional coordinator informed us of this decision, we did not consult with her. I was not happy, "said Kandiwapa.

"The person the SG wants is the most problematic person on the board, she does not talk to anyone, she does not attend meetings, she always fights with the other board members and we have to swear as mayor? "she asked.

When asked what had happened during the swearing-in ceremony, Ms. Kandiwapa confused with the magistrate's action.

"I do not know what to say about what happened … The magistrate had the power to call people to order, but he decided to postpone swearing instead of asking. to the police escorting people for prosecution to continue, "she said. The deputy coordinator added that if the magistrate did his job properly, he should have given a new election date, but he did not do it.

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