Swapo agrees to take up Deputy Mayor posts at Usakos, Karibib

SWAPO Councillors at Karibib and Usakos have finally agreed to take up the position of Deputy Mayor at both towns.

This followed an intervention by the Minister of Regional and Local Government and Housing last week. Both posts had not been filled since the Local Authority elections in May when Swapo Councillors refused to take them up.”They felt that they deserved one of the high positions either of the mayorship or that of the chairperson of the management committee since they had won more seats on their own compared to the opposition,” said Frans Nghitila, Liaison and Public Relations Officer of the Ministry in a press release issued on Friday.According to the press release, Minister Joel Kaapanda felt it was a political issue that should have been settled by the political parties without the intervention of the Ministry.When the matter had not been settled more than two months after the election, Kaapanda consulted with Swapo Secretary General, Dr Ngarikutuke Tjiriange.Last week on Wednesday he met separately with the two Local Authorities after which the Councillors agreed to take up the positions allocated to them by the coalition formed between the opposition parties.Gerhard Tötemeyer, Deputy Minister of Regional and Local Government and Housing told The Namibian last week that the Local Authorities Act did not provide for such a dilemma.He had referred it to the Office of the Attorney-General for legal advice as the Ministry had no right to intervene in the business of Councils that are autonomous bodies.Lourens Hoëseb, CEO of the Karibib Municipality told The Namibian yesterday the meeting with the Minister was an informal one.According to Hoëseb the appointment of a Deputy Mayor would have to be done officially by way of a nomination process.He said the monthly Council meeting would be an ideal opportunity to do it.He plans to bring the August meeting, scheduled for the end of the month, forward in order to fill the position as soon as possible.The Usakos CEO was not available for comment yesterday and none of the other officials knew when the town was going to appoint its Deputy Mayor.The Ministry’s press statement said Swapo Councillors would from now take part in the proceedings of their respective Councils effectively, “thus putting an end to the political squabbles and affording the two Councils an opportunity to concentrate on issues of service delivery and development”.Both posts had not been filled since the Local Authority elections in May when Swapo Councillors refused to take them up.”They felt that they deserved one of the high positions either of the mayorship or that of the chairperson of the management committee since they had won more seats on their own compared to the opposition,” said Frans Nghitila, Liaison and Public Relations Officer of the Ministry in a press release issued on Friday.According to the press release, Minister Joel Kaapanda felt it was a political issue that should have been settled by the political parties without the intervention of the Ministry.When the matter had not been settled more than two months after the election, Kaapanda consulted with Swapo Secretary General, Dr Ngarikutuke Tjiriange.Last week on Wednesday he met separately with the two Local Authorities after which the Councillors agreed to take up the positions allocated to them by the coalition formed between the opposition parties.Gerhard Tötemeyer, Deputy Minister of Regional and Local Government and Housing told The Namibian last week that the Local Authorities Act did not provide for such a dilemma.He had referred it to the Office of the Attorney-General for legal advice as the Ministry had no right to intervene in the business of Councils that are autonomous bodies.Lourens Hoëseb, CEO of the Karibib Municipality told The Namibian yesterday the meeting with the Minister was an informal one.According to Hoëseb the appointment of a Deputy Mayor would have to be done officially by way of a nomination process.He said the monthly Council meeting would be an ideal opportunity to do it.He plans to bring the August meeting, scheduled for the end of the month, forward in order to fill the position as soon as possible.The Usakos CEO was not available for comment yesterday and none of the other officials knew when the town was going to appoint its Deputy Mayor.The Ministry’s press statement said Swapo Councillors would from now take part in the proceedings of their respective Councils effectively, “thus putting an end to the political squabbles and affording the two Councils an opportunity to concentrate on issues of service delivery and development”.