Opuwo council hopes to take office

TOWN councillors elected at Opuwo hope a formal decision will be taken today on whether they will officially be allowed to take office.

The town’s affairs have been in limbo since elections more than two weeks ago over Swapo’s claims that the voters’ roll was fraudulent. The ruling party’s legal counsel, Dirk Conradie, said yesterday that he was still formulating their case to challenge the outcome of the elections in the High Court.Swapo contends that a number of people not resident at the town were permitted to register and subsequently vote in the Local Authority elections.By law, the councillors should have taken office by last Thursday.Swapo, the DTA and the Congress of Democrats secured two seats each, with Nudo obtaining one.A total of 1 834 votes were cast at Opuwo.Yesterday, opposition party representatives joined the push for their inauguration.They met with the town’s new relief magistrate, Leopold Hangalo, who promised to speak to them again today about a decision on the matter.Previously, Magistrate Harry Salionga held off from swearing in the councillors because he found Swapo had a legitimate case.But Hangalo told The Namibian yesterday that, having not received any legal instructions barring him from swearing in the councillors, he did not see any reason to hold off on the formalities.He said the aggrieved party could still pursue legal remedies after the new council was sworn in.In terms of the law, claims of election irregularities can be challenged in court up to 30 days after the polls are held.”I don’t see a big issue.There is nothing prohibiting me from swearing in the councillors.The High Court can decide later [if there were election irregularities],” Hangalo said.Town Clerk Libertus Mbaumba said yesterday that the failure to install a council had left crucial policy decisions unattended to.He said management was awaiting council’s approval on a credit management and personnel policies, amongst others.The ruling party’s legal counsel, Dirk Conradie, said yesterday that he was still formulating their case to challenge the outcome of the elections in the High Court.Swapo contends that a number of people not resident at the town were permitted to register and subsequently vote in the Local Authority elections.By law, the councillors should have taken office by last Thursday.Swapo, the DTA and the Congress of Democrats secured two seats each, with Nudo obtaining one.A total of 1 834 votes were cast at Opuwo.Yesterday, opposition party representatives joined the push for their inauguration.They met with the town’s new relief magistrate, Leopold Hangalo, who promised to speak to them again today about a decision on the matter.Previously, Magistrate Harry Salionga held off from swearing in the councillors because he found Swapo had a legitimate case.But Hangalo told The Namibian yesterday that, having not received any legal instructions barring him from swearing in the councillors, he did not see any reason to hold off on the formalities.He said the aggrieved party could still pursue legal remedies after the new council was sworn in.In terms of the law, claims of election irregularities can be challenged in court up to 30 days after the polls are held.”I don’t see a big issue.There is nothing prohibiting me from swearing in the councillors.The High Court can decide later [if there were election irregularities],” Hangalo said.Town Clerk Libertus Mbaumba said yesterday that the failure to install a council had left crucial policy decisions unattended to.He said management was awaiting council’s approval on a credit management and personnel policies, amongst others.