Swapo, Nujoma taken to court

A PARTY political battle involving former Okahandja Mayor Christophine Paulus, municipal CEO Regina Alughodhi and Swapo, which dates back to the ruling party’s bitter presidential battle in 2004, has landed in court.

The dust did not settle after Paulus was suddenly removed from office at Okahandja last year. Far from it.Paulus, along with three other councillors who Swapo also cut from their local government positions in August, wants the High Court to declare the move null and void.The group is disputing the legality of the suspensions.In an affidavit filed with the court, they charge that they were removed because they attended a meeting at Okahandja prior to the 2004 Swapo extraordinary congress.The meeting was reportedly to lobby support for then Swapo presidential candidate Hidipo Hamutenya.”The applicants at no time indicated their support for Hamutenya, but simply exercised their right to attend a meeting to ascertain the views of Hamutenya in assessing whom they were to back at the congress”, they state in the affidavit.The former councillors say that they were simply informed that a directive had come from Nujoma himself nullifying their 2004 election.Those said to have organised that election were Trade Minister Immanuel Ngatjizeko, Swapo Otjozondjupa Regional Co-ordinator Otto Ipinge, Otjozondjupa Governor Theo Eiseb, and Deputy Minister of Justice Utoni Nujoma.The respondents named in the case include the Swapo Party, its President, Sam Nujoma, and the Municipality of Okahandja.They are named respondents one, two and three respectively.The three other councillors taking legal action are former Deputy Mayor Constancia Kahengombe, former Chairperson of the management committee Hilaria Shilimetindi, and former Councillor Johannes Nande.Both Alughodhi and Paulus refused to comment when contacted, arguing that the case is sub judice.Otjozondjupa Regional Co-ordinator Ipinge was also unavailable for comment.In 2005, Nujoma, Local Government Minister John Pandeni and Deputy Prime Minister Libertina Amathila all tried to sort out infighting among the town’s administrators.At one point, Alughodhi found herself suspended for allegedly inflating the costs of repairs to the town hall, and for paying the contractors without the council’s authority.She was bailed out by Pandeni, who lifted her suspension after no solid grounds were reportedly found for the former council’s claims.Then in August, The Namibian reported on a situation where Alughodhi apparently locked herself in her office for an entire workday, refusing to speak to any of her fellow council members.Less than a week later, the four councillors now launching the court action received suspension letters signed by the Swapo Party district executive.They have disputed the legality of their suspensions in terms of the Swapo constitution since that time.A month after their suspension, four new councillors were named in their place, and have served on the Garden Town’s local government ever since.The other respondents in the case are Minister of Regional and Local Government John Pandeni, current Okahandja Mayor Paul Damaseb, Deputy Mayor Helena Shipena, current management chairperson Christina Nunuhe and deputy chairperson David Uri Khob.The respondents have 15 days from the date of receiving the application to respond to it.This date appears to be early next week.Far from it.Paulus, along with three other councillors who Swapo also cut from their local government positions in August, wants the High Court to declare the move null and void.The group is disputing the legality of the suspensions.In an affidavit filed with the court, they charge that they were removed because they attended a meeting at Okahandja prior to the 2004 Swapo extraordinary congress.The meeting was reportedly to lobby support for then Swapo presidential candidate Hidipo Hamutenya.”The applicants at no time indicated their support for Hamutenya, but simply exercised their right to attend a meeting to ascertain the views of Hamutenya in assessing whom they were to back at the congress”, they state in the affidavit.The former councillors say that they were simply informed that a directive had come from Nujoma himself nullifying their 2004 election.Those said to have organised that election were Trade Minister Immanuel Ngatjizeko, Swapo Otjozondjupa Regional Co-ordinator Otto Ipinge, Otjozondjupa Governor Theo Eiseb, and Deputy Minister of Justice Utoni Nujoma. The respondents named in the case include the Swapo Party, its President, Sam Nujoma, and the Municipality of Okahandja.They are named respondents one, two and three respectively.The three other councillors taking legal action are former Deputy Mayor Constancia Kahengombe, former Chairperson of the management committee Hilaria Shilimetindi, and former Councillor Johannes Nande.Both Alughodhi and Paulus refused to comment when contacted, arguing that the case is sub judice.Otjozondjupa Regional Co-ordinator Ipinge was also unavailable for comment.In 2005, Nujoma, Local Government Minister John Pandeni and Deputy Prime Minister Libertina Amathila all tried to sort out infighting among the town’s administrators.At one point, Alughodhi found herself suspended for allegedly inflating the costs of repairs to the town hall, and for paying the contractors without the council’s authority.She was bailed out by Pandeni, who lifted her suspension after no solid grounds were reportedly found for the former council’s claims.Then in August, The Namibian reported on a situation where Alughodhi apparently locked herself in her office for an entire workday, refusing to speak to any of her fellow council members.Less than a week later, the four councillors now launching the court action received suspension letters signed by the Swapo Party district executive.They have disputed the legality of their suspensions in terms of the Swapo constitution since that time.A month after their suspension, four new councillors were named in their place, and have served on the Garden Town’s local government ever since.The other respondents in the case are Minister of Regional and Local Government John Pandeni, current Okahandja Mayor Paul Damaseb, Deputy Mayor Helena Shipena, current management chairperson Christina Nunuhe and deputy chairperson David Uri Khob.The respondents have 15 days from the date of receiving the application to respond to it.This date appears to be early next week.