Khorixas Mayor ousted

JUST 24 hours after a Government team arrived at Khorixas to audit the Town Council’s books, the United Democratic Front (UDF) has removed Mayor Gerson /Goagoseb, apparently along with two other councillors.

UDF president Justus //Garoeb and parliamentarian Gustafine Tjombe visited the north-western town this week, attending a branch meeting on Tuesday where the decision was taken to remove /Goagoseb, Chairman of the Management Committee Erwin /Howaseb and Management Committee member Petrus Ukongo. //Garoeb said the three were “reshuffled” after demands by the people of Khorixas.He said residents felt that the three “no longer serve their interests”.Khorixas Town Clerk Hendrik Gaobaeb confirmed that the Mayor had been forced from office but said he had only heard rumours about the other two.”Any resignation must be done in writing and I only have one resignation,” he said.”In response to these popular demands the UDF party, via its local branch executive, after investigations replaced the three,” //Garoeb said.He told The Namibian that the party was unaware of Government’s decision to send a team in to examine the Council’s books.According to //Garoeb, the meeting had been planned well in advance.”Unfortunately, it happened at the time that the team arrived.The law says that any change in local authorities must be three months before any election and that is why we needed to meet the February 14 deadline,” he said.The next local authority elections are scheduled for May 14.//Garoeb said the trio were not guilty of serious charges but had failed to live up to popular expectations.He said the Tuesday evening meeting heard how they were said to have allowed their administrative staff to mistreat clients despite several complaints, while rates, such as those for graves, had more than doubled.”The councillors failed to deal properly with the administrative staff.They lost control over them and we had to reshuffle to see change,” //Garoeb said.”The most important thing is that the UDF must be presentable come the next elections and, if we do not act on behalf of the voters, how can we win?” The three have been replaced by Andreas !Aebeb, Immanuel //Garoeb and Elizabeth Goreses.The head of the Government team that is auditing the Khorixas Council books, Gabes Shivolo, said he did not expect the resignations to affect their work.”We are doing well and getting good co-operation and access to all offices,” said Shivolo.The Government team were dispatched to Khorixas to establish whether there was any truth in allegations that Council funds had been mismanaged.Khorixas was recently in the news after residents staged a demonstration to express their anger at alleged misuse of Council money.Residents of Opuwo had also written the Ministry a letter threatening to hold their own demonstration, but Government asked that its investigators first be given time to inspect the books.//Garoeb said the three were “reshuffled” after demands by the people of Khorixas. He said residents felt that the three “no longer serve their interests”. Khorixas Town Clerk Hendrik Gaobaeb confirmed that the Mayor had been forced from office but said he had only heard rumours about the other two. “Any resignation must be done in writing and I only have one resignation,” he said. “In response to these popular demands the UDF party, via its local branch executive, after investigations replaced the three,” //Garoeb said. He told The Namibian that the party was unaware of Government’s decision to send a team in to examine the Council’s books. According to //Garoeb, the meeting had been planned well in advance. “Unfortunately, it happened at the time that the team arrived. The law says that any change in local authorities must be three months before any election and that is why we needed to meet the February 14 deadline,” he said. The next local authority elections are scheduled for May 14. //Garoeb said the trio were not guilty of serious charges but had failed to live up to popular expectations. He said the Tuesday evening meeting heard how they were said to have allowed their administrative staff to mistreat clients despite several complaints, while rates, such as those for graves, had more than doubled. “The councillors failed to deal properly with the administrative staff. They lost control over them and we had to reshuffle to see change,” //Garoeb said. “The most important thing is that the UDF must be presentable come the next elections and, if we do not act on behalf of the voters, how can we win?” The three have been replaced by Andreas !Aebeb, Immanuel //Garoeb and Elizabeth Goreses. The head of the Government team that is auditing the Khorixas Council books, Gabes Shivolo, said he did not expect the resignations to affect their work. “We are doing well and getting good co-operation and access to all offices,” said Shivolo. The Government team were dispatched to Khorixas to establish whether there was any truth in allegations that Council funds had been mismanaged. Khorixas was recently in the news after residents staged a demonstration to express their anger at alleged misuse of Council money. Residents of Opuwo had also written the Ministry a letter threatening to hold their own demonstration, but Government asked that its investigators first be given time to inspect the books.