Swapo loses at Keetmans

THE opposition parties have delivered a political blow to the Swapo Party’s hope of retaining the mayoral seat in the Keetmanshoop Town Council for a fifth term.
During the election of new office bearers on Friday, Arnold Losper (CoD) defeated Basil Brown (Swapo) with four votes against three.

Johannes Coleman (CoD) had nominated Losper with Attie Marais (RP) seconding the nomination. Brown was nominated by Finna Elago (Swapo) and seconded by Thomas Shatipamba, who replaced Reverend Simon Petrus Tiboth as Swapo councillor. Swapo recently withdrew Tiboth from the Town Council after accusations of aligning with the opposition were levelled against him. Shortly after The Namibian broke the news of a decision taken by Swapo president Hifikepunye Pohamba, vice president Hage Geingob, deputy secretary general Nangolo Mbumba and information secretary Jerry Ekandjo to withdraw Tiboth from the Town Council, a letter to this effect signed by the party’s district co-ordinator Festus Shilimela was handed over to him. The Namibian understands Tiboth was recalled because he had defied orders by the party’s regional executive not to run against Brown in an earlier mayoral race that had ended in a stalemate because of the absence of Marais, who could have cast the decisive vote. At that time Moses Titus and Coleman supported Tiboth in the mayoral race while Brown was supported by Losper and Elago. Critics believed the decision to withdraw Tiboth resulted in the opposition joining forces to wrest away the mayoral seat from Swapo for the first time in five years. A reliable source hinted that Losper, who had been playing in the Swapo Party camp, was called to order by his party’s top brass to support other opposition parties to deny a Swapo Party representative the mayoral seat or to face withdrawal from the Town Council.Following his defeat in the mayoral race, Brown was elected as deputy mayor. The new mayor and his deputy were not sworn in, as a war of words erupted between Titus and the presiding officer, Magistrate Alweendo Venasius, during the election of management committee members. Venasius had limited the councillors to nominating only three management committee members since there were only three vacancies, but the opposition disagreed and Titus nominated a fourth member. Venasius then adjourned proceedings for an hour to discuss the issue behind closed doors. During a heated debate behind closed doors, Titus allegedly accused Venasius of misinterpreting Local Authority Act) and siding with the Swapo Party because he was from the North. When the election resumed, Venasius declared the four opposition councillors’ votes null and void, saying they had tendered spoilt ballots by voting for three candidates on one ballot paper instead of only one. At this juncture chaos erupted with Titus claiming the councillors had cast their votes as it was explained to them behind closed doors. ‘Last time you also gave councillor Elago another chance when she had tendered a spoilt ballot,’ Titus remarked. ‘Last time we could have had a mayor, if you had treated Elago’s spoilt ballot the same way,’ Titus added, referring to the previous mayoral race between Brown and Tiboth that had ended in a stalemate. Venasius replied that he had given Elago another ballot paper before casting her vote when she asked for one as she had made a mistake. Titus countered by threatening that the opposition would not ‘give legality’ to the proceedings. ‘We’re not going to allow these games. We’re the majority and will not give legality to this proceedings,’ Titus said. Venasius recused himself from the meeting. ‘In the interest of the community I recuse myself and adjourn this meeting indefinitely. I cannot endure the humiliation of councillors accusing me of nothing. I am not a politician and … am not siding with anyone,’ Venasius said angrily. luqman@namibian.com.na