Swapo members at Ongwediva cry foul

THE selection of seven Swapo candidates for Local Authority elections at Ongwediva was declared null and void at a Swapo meeting on Monday, which was attended by Minister of Labour Marco Hausiku.

The seven had been chosen on Wednesday last week. The elections are scheduled for May 14.Monday’s meeting was called after some Swapo members alleged that incorrect procedures had been followed at Wednesday’s meeting.Apparently the Mayor of Ongwediva, Erastus Uutoni, was placed last on the candidates’ list, while a newcomer, the acting Manager of NBC Oshiwambo Radio Services, John Kanandjembo, topped the list.The Wednesday meeting was chaired by Okatyali Constituency Councillor Josef Mupetami and Oshakati West Councillor Aram Martin.A reliable source claimed to The Namibian that the Councillor for Ongwediva, Kandy Nehova, who is also Chairman of the National Council, was allegedly intent on “outmanoeuvring” serving Swapo Party Councillors, including Uutoni.Approached for comment, Nehova denied the accusations.”I was not in the area during the identification of candidates, but was in the meeting of last Wednesday when the candidates were elected, so I could not have intervened in the process of identification,” he added.Swapo holds six of the seven seats on the Ongwediva Town Council.The seventh member is the DTA’s Laban Hamata.During Wednesdays’ meeting Councillors such as Ongwediva’s Deputy Mayor, Patricia Kashuupulwa [the wife of Oshana Governor Klemens Kashuupulwa], Management Committee Chairperson Angelina Angula and another Swapo Councillor, Maria Awene, were not chosen.The elections are scheduled for May 14.Monday’s meeting was called after some Swapo members alleged that incorrect procedures had been followed at Wednesday’s meeting.Apparently the Mayor of Ongwediva, Erastus Uutoni, was placed last on the candidates’ list, while a newcomer, the acting Manager of NBC Oshiwambo Radio Services, John Kanandjembo, topped the list.The Wednesday meeting was chaired by Okatyali Constituency Councillor Josef Mupetami and Oshakati West Councillor Aram Martin.A reliable source claimed to The Namibian that the Councillor for Ongwediva, Kandy Nehova, who is also Chairman of the National Council, was allegedly intent on “outmanoeuvring” serving Swapo Party Councillors, including Uutoni.Approached for comment, Nehova denied the accusations.”I was not in the area during the identification of candidates, but was in the meeting of last Wednesday when the candidates were elected, so I could not have intervened in the process of identification,” he added.Swapo holds six of the seven seats on the Ongwediva Town Council.The seventh member is the DTA’s Laban Hamata.During Wednesdays’ meeting Councillors such as Ongwediva’s Deputy Mayor, Patricia Kashuupulwa [the wife of Oshana Governor Klemens Kashuupulwa], Management Committee Chairperson Angelina Angula and another Swapo Councillor, Maria Awene, were not chosen.