Okahandja marches

ABOUT 250 angry Okahandja residents marched to their Town Council offices yesterday to hand over a petition calling for the immediate removal of the Mayor, Christophine ‘Citto’ Paulus, and her co-councillors.

They are also demanding that all allegations of corruption be immediately investigated. “We are not going to stop talking about the problems, and this is not the last time we’re going to march (on your offices),” one demonstrator with a megaphone shouted at municipal employees, who cowered behind closed doors.The petition, handed over to Otjozondjupa Governor Theo Eiseb, also demanded that certain Municipal employees be immediately removed.They are accused of allegedly abusing their positions for personal gain.The marchers, who call themselves ‘The Concerned Group’, consisted of people from across the political spectrum, a fact they stressed repeatedly to Eiseb.The large turn-out was in strong contrast to a small group of mostly municipal employees who yesterday protested in favour of Paulus.One of yesterday’s organisers said that many more people would have turned up, if arrangements for transport had not collapsed at the last minute.He said they had had to resort to driving people to the meeting in their small pick-ups.At one stage, it was not clear if the Police would grant permission for the demonstration, even though an application was submitted last week.It was charged that the commander of the local Police was a friend of the embattled Mayor, whose permission also had to be obtained for the demonstration.Permission was given at the last moment, as it became clear that a refusal could potentially ignite public violence.The marchers were accompanied by a large contingent of Police and Special Field Force officers, who at one stage had to form a human barrier between the protesters and the municipality’s front doors.As the marchers converged on the municipal buildings, nervous employees promptly locked the doors, which appeared to enrage the marchers.But cool heads prevailed.The marchers remained outside baying for the appearance of the Mayor and her colleagues.Instead, Eiseb appears to have been delegated to receive the petition.Ironically, Eiseb held meetings with the local Chamber of Commerce on March 17, in which the very same accusations of corruption and abuse of power were handed over to him, with documentary proof.Yesterday, he promised residents that their problems were enjoying attention at Ministerial level.Speaker after speaker railed against the Council, accusing them of allegedly misusing municipal funds and property, enriching themselves at the cost of development and indulging in favouritism by giving jobs only to friends and relatives.MISSING IN ACTIONPaulus and her Swapo Party colleagues, namely her deputy Constantia Kahengombo, Hilaria Shilimetindi and Johannes Nande, were nowhere to be seen, as was the case with Sofia Noabes of the UDF, AJ Strauss of the CoD and Agatha Handura of Nudo.Individuals approached The Namibian to complain of collapsing services, payments for pre-paid electricity meters allegedly not being paid into their accounts, abuse of municipal vehicles by councillors and a general disregard for anyone’s interests except their own.”They are just there to enrich themselves,” fumed Olivia Ngandajao.”Money we pay for electricity is not debited to our accounts, and people at the municipality are using (municipal) property like it is their own,” she claimed.Other businessmen alleged that the current Acting CEO, Vincent Sizita, was a health inspector – but that in the three years that he occupied that position, he had not performed a single health inspection.”They made a big noise about cleaning up recently, but there are illegal hawkers on the street corners …and they do not have any toilet facilities.Where do they go to the toilet? Right there in the street,” said one well-known businessman.Efforts to talk to the councillors and others accused of corruption proved futile – all the concerned individuals suddenly rushed off to “an urgent meeting”.Inside the municipal lobby, a sign alongside photos of the embattled councillors proclaimed: “Council deals honestly with all its stakeholders on the basis of accountability and responsibility and accountable decision and actions of all its employees.”* John Grobler is a freelance journalist johngrob@iway.na”We are not going to stop talking about the problems, and this is not the last time we’re going to march (on your offices),” one demonstrator with a megaphone shouted at municipal employees, who cowered behind closed doors. The petition, handed over to Otjozondjupa Governor Theo Eiseb, also demanded that certain Municipal employees be immediately removed.They are accused of allegedly abusing their positions for personal gain.The marchers, who call themselves ‘The Concerned Group’, consisted of people from across the political spectrum, a fact they stressed repeatedly to Eiseb.The large turn-out was in strong contrast to a small group of mostly municipal employees who yesterday protested in favour of Paulus.One of yesterday’s organisers said that many more people would have turned up, if arrangements for transport had not collapsed at the last minute.He said they had had to resort to driving people to the meeting in their small pick-ups.At one stage, it was not clear if the Police would grant permission for the demonstration, even though an application was submitted last week.It was charged that the commander of the local Police was a friend of the embattled Mayor, whose permission also had to be obtained for the demonstration.Permission was given at the last moment, as it became clear that a refusal could potentially ignite public violence.The marchers were accompanied by a large contingent of Police and Special Field Force officers, who at one stage had to form a human barrier between the protesters and the municipality’s front doors.As the marchers converged on the municipal buildings, nervous employees promptly locked the doors, which appeared to enrage the marchers.But cool heads prevailed.The marchers remained outside baying for the appearance of the Mayor and her colleagues.Instead, Eiseb appears to have been delegated to receive the petition.Ironically, Eiseb held meetings with the local Chamber of Commerce on March 17, in which the very same accusations of corruption and abuse of power were handed over to him, with documentary proof.Yesterday, he promised residents that their problems were enjoying attention at Ministerial level.Speaker after speaker railed against the Council, accusing them of allegedly misusing municipal funds and property, enriching themselves at the cost of development and indulging in favouritism by giving jobs only to friends and relatives. MISSING IN ACTION Paulus and her Swapo Party colleagues, namely her deputy Constantia Kahengombo, Hilaria Shilimetindi and Johannes Nande, were nowhere to be seen, as was the case with Sofia Noabes of the UDF, AJ Strauss of the CoD and Agatha Handura of Nudo.Individuals approached The Namibian to complain of collapsing services, payments for pre-paid electricity meters allegedly not being paid into their accounts, abuse of municipal vehicles by councillors and a general disregard for anyone’s interests except their own.”They are just there to enrich themselves,” fumed Olivia Ngandajao.”Money we pay for electricity is not debited to our accounts, and people at the municipality are using (municipal) property like it is their own,” she claimed.Other businessmen alleged that the current Acting CEO, Vincent Sizita, was a health inspector – but that in the three years that he occupied that position, he had not performed a single health inspection.”They made a big noise about cleaning up recently, but there are illegal hawkers on the street corners …and they do not have any toilet facilities.Where do they go to the toilet? Right there in the street,” said one well-known businessman.Efforts to talk to the councillors and others accused of corruption proved futile – all the concerned individuals suddenly rushed off to “an urgent meeting”.Inside the municipal lobby, a sign alongside photos of the embattled councillors proclaimed: “Council deals honestly with all its stakeholders on the basis of accountability and responsibility and accountable decision and actions of all its employees.” * John Grobler is a freelance journalist johngrob@iway.na

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