Demoted town councillor alleges tribalism

IN a move some people in Oshakati see as tribalism, former Deputy Mayor Skinny Hilundwa was demoted to an ordinary member of the Oshakati Town Council when the council elected its new office bearers last Monday.

Hilundwa, who is the only Oshikwanyama-speaking person in the town council, was elected as councillor during the 2004 local authority election and was then chosen by the council as deputy mayor and deputy chairman of the management committee. Hilundwa was widely regarded as the likely successor to Mayor Engelbert Atshipara.But at last week’s election of new office bearers, Hilundwa did not win any position in the council.Katrina Shimbulu, who was an ordinary councillor, was elected as deputy mayor in his place.Hilundwa told The Namibian that he was stunned by the move.”The election was clear, that they do not want me in the group,” he said.He said after the office bearers were sworn in, Councillor Vaino Amuthenu (Congress of Democrats) gave him a note that listed which councillors would nominate whom in the election.All the current office bearers arranged to nominate and second one another, according to the letter.The note was apparently passed on to Amuthenu by a Swapo councillor, Linus Shiimi.Hilundwa and Amuthenu, who is Oshindonga-speaking, are the only two ordinary council members not serving on the new management committee.All the office bearers are Oshikwambi-speaking people.”I was stunned by that letter, and have decided to put in a complaint with Magistrate Hangalo who swore us in,” said Hilundwa.In his letter to the Magistrate, Hilundwa described the election of office bearers as “corruption of the highest order”.He claimed that the nominations were “doctored” to ensure that Oshikwambi-speaking people would be in charge of the town, which is in the Uukwambi traditional district.Hilundwa claimed that a similar incident of tribalism was rumoured to have taken place to remove the town’s Chief Executive Officer, John Nghihepa, who is Oshikwanyama-speaking, and replace him with an Oshikwambi-speaking CEO.According to Hilundwa, Magistrate Hangalo told him that he would respond to the letter soon.When approached for comment, Mayor Atshipara denied that there was any tribalism in the town council.He said Hilundwa was not re-elected as deputy mayor because the other councillors did not think he was qualified for the position.Atshipara declined to comment on the note that came into Hilundwa’s possession.”All I have to say is that things have been done legally and fairly,” the mayor said.He also denied that there was a plot to replace Nghihepa as Chief Executive Officer, saying that Nghihepa’s contract had recently been extended for another five years.Hilundwa was widely regarded as the likely successor to Mayor Engelbert Atshipara.But at last week’s election of new office bearers, Hilundwa did not win any position in the council.Katrina Shimbulu, who was an ordinary councillor, was elected as deputy mayor in his place.Hilundwa told The Namibian that he was stunned by the move.”The election was clear, that they do not want me in the group,” he said.He said after the office bearers were sworn in, Councillor Vaino Amuthenu (Congress of Democrats) gave him a note that listed which councillors would nominate whom in the election.All the current office bearers arranged to nominate and second one another, according to the letter.The note was apparently passed on to Amuthenu by a Swapo councillor, Linus Shiimi.Hilundwa and Amuthenu, who is Oshindonga-speaking, are the only two ordinary council members not serving on the new management committee.All the office bearers are Oshikwambi-speaking people.”I was stunned by that letter, and have decided to put in a complaint with Magistrate Hangalo who swore us in,” said Hilundwa.In his letter to the Magistrate, Hilundwa described the election of office bearers as “corruption of the highest order”.He claimed that the nominations were “doctored” to ensure that Oshikwambi-speaking people would be in charge of the town, which is in the Uukwambi traditional district.Hilundwa claimed that a similar incident of tribalism was rumoured to have taken place to remove the town’s Chief Executive Officer, John Nghihepa, who is Oshikwanyama-speaking, and replace him with an Oshikwambi-speaking CEO.According to Hilundwa, Magistrate Hangalo told him that he would respond to the letter soon.When approached for comment, Mayor Atshipara denied that there was any tribalism in the town council.He said Hilundwa was not re-elected as deputy mayor because the other councillors did not think he was qualified for the position.Atshipara declined to comment on the note that came into Hilundwa’s possession.”All I have to say is that things have been done legally and fairly,” the mayor said.He also denied that there was a plot to replace Nghihepa as Chief Executive Officer, saying that Nghihepa’s contract had recently been extended for another five years.