Okahandja names councillors

SWAPO’S Okahandja District Executive has nominated four people to replace the town’s recently ousted local councillors.

Paul Damaseb, Christene Nuuhe, Gabriel Shelefila and Dawid Urikop are being screened by the Swapo head office as well as the Otjozondjupa Regional Executive, Okahandja District Information and Mobilisation Officer Steve Booysen told The Namibian yesterday. They were nominated by the Swapo District Executive this past weekend.The hopefuls would be checked for a multitude of qualifications, party credentials and prerequisites before the party could take a decision on whether they would be the right choice, Booysen said.These include their time within the party, their debt record with the municipality and whether other issues such as gender equality had been taken into consideration in their nomination.Okahandja has had problems with its town councillors for the past few years.Rivalry between town CEO Regina Alughodhi and former mayor Christofine Paulus split the town council down the middle, affecting the quality of council services, according to residents.Last week, the ruling party removed Paulus, her deputy Constancia Kahengombe, Management Committee Chairperson Hillaria Shilimetindi and council member Johannes Nande from their positions.They had been suspended following a District Executive meeting more than a week ago.Last week, Otjiwarongo Mayor and Otjozondjupa Regional Co-ordinator Otto Ipinge said that the chaotic state of affairs at the Okahandja town council had crippled service delivery at the town, and that the party had decided to remove the said councillors from their positions.They were nominated by the Swapo District Executive this past weekend.The hopefuls would be checked for a multitude of qualifications, party credentials and prerequisites before the party could take a decision on whether they would be the right choice, Booysen said.These include their time within the party, their debt record with the municipality and whether other issues such as gender equality had been taken into consideration in their nomination.Okahandja has had problems with its town councillors for the past few years.Rivalry between town CEO Regina Alughodhi and former mayor Christofine Paulus split the town council down the middle, affecting the quality of council services, according to residents.Last week, the ruling party removed Paulus, her deputy Constancia Kahengombe, Management Committee Chairperson Hillaria Shilimetindi and council member Johannes Nande from their positions.They had been suspended following a District Executive meeting more than a week ago. Last week, Otjiwarongo Mayor and Otjozondjupa Regional Co-ordinator Otto Ipinge said that the chaotic state of affairs at the Okahandja town council had crippled service delivery at the town, and that the party had decided to remove the said councillors from their positions.