Nujoma faction in bid to oust alleged council rivals

DIVISION and infighting within Swapo at Okahandja yesterday reared its head once again when the so-called Concerned Group approached the town’s magistrate to halt the swearing-in of the town’s management committee.

Led by Swapo District Co-ordinator Selma Gaweses-Shimbuli, the five-member delegation handed a letter to the magistrate saying their request stemmed from “internal issues that the party has with the council”. The Namibian understands that the Concerned Group wants all four Swapo councillors to be removed from office and to be replaced by loyalists of Swapo party president Sam Nujoma.The current councillors are perceived by some as supporters of Hidipo Hamutenya.The Ministry of Regional and Local Government, Housing and Rural Development recently sent a letter to the Okahandja Municipality reminding them that a new mayor and deputy must be sworn in by May 15.Sources yesterday indicated to The Namibian that the group was scurrying around to garner support from senior politicians for their move, including Otjozondjupa Governor Theophelus Eiseb, after being shown the door by the town’s magistrate.Magistrate Vicky Nicolaidis declined to comment on the matter.According to the Local Authorities Act, local authority councillors serve a five-year term, while the Mayor, Deputy Mayor and other management committee members need to be elected from the group of councillors each year.By late yesterday afternoon, the group was said to be travelling to Windhoek to seek a meeting with senior party leaders.Approached for comment on their moves, Gaweses-Shimbuli declined to clarify the group’s intentions.”We are still busy with our things.I don’t have answers to your questions,” she said.Reports were rife yesterday that the group might even try to approach the High Court to put a stop to the swearing-in of the council’s top officials.Divisions within the party at the town was evident even before the 2004 Local Authority elections when the current council was elected.Several attempts have been made since then by the so-called Concerned Group to oust the councillors from office.The councillors have been accused of a myriad of alleged inefficiencies, including being “uneducated” and not able to bring development and change to the town.But insiders say the underlying reason for wanting them out of office is division within the party.The Okahandja councillors are said not be “true representatives” of the party because they are said to be in the Hamutenya camp.The latest move by the Concerned Group has its roots in changes within the party at section, branch and district level earlier this year, when the party’s Regional Co-ordinator Otto Ipinge called elections at the town and the district executive was replaced with the batch who are now attempting to remove the Okahandja Town Councillors from office.Despite a plea by the sidelined group and district executive to the Swapo Politburo to have the elections nullified, nothing happened.”How do they just want to get into office, without being elected? How can Swapo take criminals into their executive?” asked one source.At least two members of the group who approached the Magistrate yesterday are believed to have alleged criminal charges of theft pending against them.”They didn’t make it on the party list at elections and now they want to be sworn in.They want the same thing to happen as did at Ongwediva,” said an irate insider.After the 2004 local authority elections, Swapo replaced candidates who were at the top of the list voted for by supporters, by other candidates favoured by the top echelons of the party.The personal assistant to Okahandja CEO Arnold Meroro, who is arranging the Mayoral election, said yesterday that he was awaiting a decision by the Magistrate on whether the election would be held tomorrow or on Monday.The Namibian understands that the Concerned Group wants all four Swapo councillors to be removed from office and to be replaced by loyalists of Swapo party president Sam Nujoma.The current councillors are perceived by some as supporters of Hidipo Hamutenya.The Ministry of Regional and Local Government, Housing and Rural Development recently sent a letter to the Okahandja Municipality reminding them that a new mayor and deputy must be sworn in by May 15.Sources yesterday indicated to The Namibian that the group was scurrying around to garner support from senior politicians for their move, including Otjozondjupa Governor Theophelus Eiseb, after being shown the door by the town’s magistrate.Magistrate Vicky Nicolaidis declined to comment on the matter.According to the Local Authorities Act, local authority councillors serve a five-year term, while the Mayor, Deputy Mayor and other management committee members need to be elected from the group of councillors each year.By late yesterday afternoon, the group was said to be travelling to Windhoek to seek a meeting with senior party leaders. Approached for comment on their moves, Gaweses-Shimbuli declined to clarify the group’s intentions.”We are still busy with our things.I don’t have answers to your questions,” she said.Reports were rife yesterday that the group might even try to approach the High Court to put a stop to the swearing-in of the council’s top officials.Divisions within the party at the town was evident even before the 2004 Local Authority elections when the current council was elected.Several attempts have been made since then by the so-called Concerned Group to oust the councillors from office.The councillors have been accused of a myriad of alleged inefficiencies, including being “uneducated” and not able to bring development and change to the town.But insiders say the underlying reason for wanting them out of office is division within the party.The Okahandja councillors are said not be “true representatives” of the party because they are said to be in the Hamutenya camp.The latest move by the Concerned Group has its roots in changes within the party at section, branch and district level earlier this year, when the party’s Regional Co-ordinator Otto Ipinge called elections at the town and the district executive was replaced with the batch who are now attempting to remove the Okahandja Town Councillors from office.Despite a plea by the sidelined group and district executive to the Swapo Politburo to have the elections nullified, nothing happened.”How do they just want to get into office, without being elected? How can Swapo take criminals into their executive?” asked one source.At least two members of the group who approached the Magistrate yesterday are believed to have alleged criminal charges of theft pending against them.”They didn’t make it on the party list at elections and now they want to be sworn in.They want the same thing to happen as did at Ongwediva,” said an irate insider.After the 2004 local authority elections, Swapo replaced candidates who were at the top of the list voted for by supporters, by other candidates favoured by the top echelons of the party.The personal assistant to Okahandja CEO Arnold Meroro, who is arranging the Mayoral election, said yesterday that he was awaiting a decision by the Magistrate on whether the election would be held tomorrow or on Monday.