Keetmans mayor hits back at Kaura

POLITICIANS should stop sowing political division through tribalism and segregation for cheap point scoring, says Keetmanshoop Mayor Finna Elago.

Elago, who represents the ruling Swapo Party in the Town Council, was responding to questions posed by DTA President Katuutire Kaura in an article headlined ‘DTA wants money for elections’, published in The Namibian on Monday. Kaura had asked: “Why is the Mayor of Keetmanshoop not a Titus or Witbooi but an Elago? Are there southerners capable of ruling the South? Why is the South inundated by political carpetbaggers while the local people are watching in amazement? Why out of six constituencies in the Karas Region, only two are controlled by local people and four by people from the proverbial North.””Kaura must stop chasing for cheap political points, instead of launching fair campaigns to gain electorates for his party,” Elago said.Elago further accused Kaura of promoting segregation and tribalism.She claimed Kaura wanted to revert to the colonial era, during which tribalism and segregation were imposed on the Namibian people.”We need to put politics based on tribalism and segregation in the dustbin of the history,” she said.”Due to the segregation imposed upon us by the colonial powers, we are what we are today,” she added.Elago warned Kaura to stay out of southerners’ political affairs, saying that the people in the South are capable of running the show themselves.”We’re capable of handling our affairs, it not necessary for Kaura to try and handle our affairs,” she said.Elago said the Constitution allows any Namibian to live anywhere and participate in any activity.”Kaura, with his cheap politicking games, undermines the Namibian Constitution,” Elago said.She pointed out that all the other Keetmanshoop town councillors are southerners.”It’s only me who is not a southerner,” she said.Kaura had asked: “Why is the Mayor of Keetmanshoop not a Titus or Witbooi but an Elago? Are there southerners capable of ruling the South? Why is the South inundated by political carpetbaggers while the local people are watching in amazement? Why out of six constituencies in the Karas Region, only two are controlled by local people and four by people from the proverbial North.””Kaura must stop chasing for cheap political points, instead of launching fair campaigns to gain electorates for his party,” Elago said. Elago further accused Kaura of promoting segregation and tribalism.She claimed Kaura wanted to revert to the colonial era, during which tribalism and segregation were imposed on the Namibian people.”We need to put politics based on tribalism and segregation in the dustbin of the history,” she said.”Due to the segregation imposed upon us by the colonial powers, we are what we are today,” she added.Elago warned Kaura to stay out of southerners’ political affairs, saying that the people in the South are capable of running the show themselves.”We’re capable of handling our affairs, it not necessary for Kaura to try and handle our affairs,” she said.Elago said the Constitution allows any Namibian to live anywhere and participate in any activity.”Kaura, with his cheap politicking games, undermines the Namibian Constitution,” Elago said. She pointed out that all the other Keetmanshoop town councillors are southerners.”It’s only me who is not a southerner,” she said.