Pandeni foils Okahandja protest

MINISTER of Regional and Local Government, Housing and Rural Development John Pandeni foiled an early morning plan by some municipal workers to demonstrate against the return of Okahandja CEO Regina Alugodhi to office yesterday.

As the group were planning their protest, Pandeni arrived at the offices to make a call for unity and co-operation in the interest of service delivery at the town. He told workers and the council that their personal interests could not be allowed to overshadow the interests of the residents of the town.Pandeni encouraged them to return to work immediately and to raise any further concerns about the decision at a community meeting scheduled at the town for this weekend.Alugodhi was handed her letter of reinstatement after a marathon meeting at the town on Thursday at which the Minister said no grounds for her suspension could be found.Pandeni noted that where either the conduct of Alugodhi or the council was questionable, this was as a result of a communication breakdown between Alugodhi and Mayor Christofien Paulus.Much of the division at the town has been openly attributed to personal differences between the pair – which Pandeni acknowledged as the case at the last week’s meeting.Alugodhi told The Namibian yesterday that she was aware of reports that despite the decision of the Minister, some quarters still opposed her return.But after being out of office for five months, Alugodhi said she was eager to put the past behind her and get on with business.”There will be dissatisfaction here and there, but we must move on.Only time will tell if things will improve.Some were overwhelmed to see me.There will be those who pull their faces, but we are only human,” she said.He told workers and the council that their personal interests could not be allowed to overshadow the interests of the residents of the town.Pandeni encouraged them to return to work immediately and to raise any further concerns about the decision at a community meeting scheduled at the town for this weekend.Alugodhi was handed her letter of reinstatement after a marathon meeting at the town on Thursday at which the Minister said no grounds for her suspension could be found.Pandeni noted that where either the conduct of Alugodhi or the council was questionable, this was as a result of a communication breakdown between Alugodhi and Mayor Christofien Paulus.Much of the division at the town has been openly attributed to personal differences between the pair – which Pandeni acknowledged as the case at the last week’s meeting.Alugodhi told The Namibian yesterday that she was aware of reports that despite the decision of the Minister, some quarters still opposed her return.But after being out of office for five months, Alugodhi said she was eager to put the past behind her and get on with business.”There will be dissatisfaction here and there, but we must move on.Only time will tell if things will improve.Some were overwhelmed to see me.There will be those who pull their faces, but we are only human,” she said.