Rooi hits back at Swapo councillors

THE Karas Regional Secretary of the Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP), Josef Rooi, is seeking legal advice for being used as a “political play ball” in infighting among Swapo Party councillors in Keetmanshoop’s Town Council.

In response to an article in The Namibian yesterday headlined ‘Accusations fly at Karas Swapo meeting’, Rooi said he would not allow his dignity as an official at the Keetmanshoop Municipality be abused “to gain scores in Swapo Party infighting”. The article said Swapo leaders accused each other of supporting opposition parties during a Swapo Party meeting over the weekend, where Rooi’s name featured as one of the opposition members aligning with Swapo leaders.Councillor Basil Brown accused fellow councillor Fiina Elago of aligning with Rooi.He said Elago apparently travelled to the North with Rooi, a council employee, when the RDP held a rally there, adding that Elago even went to the extent of proposing in a council meeting that Rooi should become the acting CEO of the council.Elago allegedly chose Rooi as driver although an official council driver was available.Hitting back, Rooi accused Brown of developing a strategy to try and link Elago with the RDP on baseless grounds, hoping that the general hatred of the Swapo Party for RDP ideology would come to his aid.”In this process, I become the political play ball between Basil Brown and Fiina Elago, which development I really do not appreciate,” he said.”I have no words to describe the current relationship status of two Swapo Party councillors, Basil Brown and Fiina Brown.Each time Swapo Party leaders gather and discuss impediments among Swapo councillors, they wildly accuse each other by even levelling despicable allegations against each other,” he added.Rooi further accused The Namibian reporter who wrote the article of subjective reporting because the reporter did not ask him for comment.Rooi said he had travelled on several occasions with other councillors, including Mayor Simon Petrus Tiboth (Swapo) and councillor Arnold Losper (CoD), as part of his work responsibilities.”Will Basil Brown also report councillor Arnold Losper to CoD for undertaking an official trip with an RDP member who is employed by Council? Does it mean that as soon as there is a misunderstanding between Basil Brown and the Mayor, Reverend SP Tiboth, that he will also be reported to the Swapo Party for allegedly allying with a RDP official?,” he asked.The article said Swapo leaders accused each other of supporting opposition parties during a Swapo Party meeting over the weekend, where Rooi’s name featured as one of the opposition members aligning with Swapo leaders.Councillor Basil Brown accused fellow councillor Fiina Elago of aligning with Rooi.He said Elago apparently travelled to the North with Rooi, a council employee, when the RDP held a rally there, adding that Elago even went to the extent of proposing in a council meeting that Rooi should become the acting CEO of the council.Elago allegedly chose Rooi as driver although an official council driver was available.Hitting back, Rooi accused Brown of developing a strategy to try and link Elago with the RDP on baseless grounds, hoping that the general hatred of the Swapo Party for RDP ideology would come to his aid.”In this process, I become the political play ball between Basil Brown and Fiina Elago, which development I really do not appreciate,” he said.”I have no words to describe the current relationship status of two Swapo Party councillors, Basil Brown and Fiina Brown.Each time Swapo Party leaders gather and discuss impediments among Swapo councillors, they wildly accuse each other by even levelling despicable allegations against each other,” he added.Rooi further accused The Namibian reporter who wrote the article of subjective reporting because the reporter did not ask him for comment.Rooi said he had travelled on several occasions with other councillors, including Mayor Simon Petrus Tiboth (Swapo) and councillor Arnold Losper (CoD), as part of his work responsibilities.”Will Basil Brown also report councillor Arnold Losper to CoD for undertaking an official trip with an RDP member who is employed by Council? Does it mean that as soon as there is a misunderstanding between Basil Brown and the Mayor, Reverend SP Tiboth, that he will also be reported to the Swapo Party for allegedly allying with a RDP official?,” he asked.