Swapo recycles Khomas councillors amid voter frustration

Swapo faces criticism for retaining its Khomas region councillors with alleged poor performance records, sparking concerns over accountability, service delivery, and voter dissatisfaction ahead of November’s elections.

The party last week announced its list of candidates for the Khomas region, which includes councillors serving currently.

The retention of former Windhoek mayors Fransina Kahungu and Queen Kamati is not well received.

Among those given another chance are also John Moonde for the John Pandeni constituency, Emma Muteka for Windhoek West, Christopher Likuwa for the Tobias Hainyeko constituency, Stefanus Ndengu for Moses //Garoëb, and Richard Gaoseb for the Katutura East constituency.

Councillor Muesee Kazapua of the Katutura central constituency, nicknamed ‘Wi-Fi’, has also been retained.

Community activist Shaun Gariseb says he is concerned given some officials’ poor performance.

“It’s concerning that political parties are trusting the very same people who have failed.

Either the politicians don’t have other choices, or they don’t understand what’s on the ground. I have been consistently on the ground in all 10 constituencies. People are tired of empty promises and old-school campaigns.

They are now saying they’ll eat your food and vote objectively,” he says.

Gariseb says people want service delivery and leadership, and food parcels and Wi-fi.“How can a correct-minded person campaign with Wi-fi, while 80% of the people don’t have smartphones or gadgets?” he asks.

Gariseb says political parties often nominate members who are popular in their circles, but some have had the opportunity to effect change and have failed.

He says the retained councillors must be honest, adding that making impossible promises is “cheating”.

“Like the former mayor who promised to build a vocational training centre – in which space and where?” Gariseb asks.

He says some of the retained councillors must move to the constituencies they are contesting in.

Many do not live in the constituencies they are contesting in and are therefore out of touch with the realities on the ground, he says.

Political analyst Henning Melber says well-connected party candidates often manage to hang onto positions, because the party keeps them on the list.

“A party should think twice and would be well advised to replace those who did not deliver,” he says.

In Namibia, Melber says voting patterns are often still influenced just by the party’s affinity to voters, which does not put individual merits at the centre of decisions.

This enables non-performers to hang on, he says.

Another political analyst, Sakaria Johannes, says recycling politicians is risky, because some councillors did not perform during their time in office and could have a negative impact on the party.

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