Swapo spoils Usakos swearing-in

THERE was drama in the Council Chambers at Usakos on Wednesday when three newly-elected Swapo Councillors refused to take part in the swearing-in proceedings.

According to opposition party candidates, the special Council meeting came to an abrupt end when Swapo Councillors walked out before a third person was elected onto the Management Committee (MC). The Town Clerk, Sebastiaan !Gobs, told The Namibian that the meeting was ended by the Magistrate after several attempts to get the Swapo candidates to take part in the process failed.!Gobs said the ruling party Councillors took the prescribed oath with the two Congress of Democrats (CoD) and two United Democratic Front (UDF) Councillors at the beginning of the meeting.With the majority vote in the hands of the CoD-UDF coalition, the Mayor and Deputy Mayor and first two members of the Management Committee were chosen by the four opposition candidates.The UDF’s Renathe Namases was elected Mayor and Daniel Stramiss of the CoD the Deputy Mayor.The two remaining opposition candidates, Loot Dwinger of the CoD and Phillemon Nauseb of the UDF were elected onto the Management Committee.The third member had to come from the Swapo Councillors, but they refused to nominate a person.The Magistrate reminded them of their responsibility to participate as they had taken the oath.The candidates stuck to their refusal, even after the meeting was adjourned for five minutes.The Magistrate then requested the opposition to nominate a Swapo Councillor and Tuhafeni Haufiku was proposed.He refused to accept the nomination.When the Magistrate asked him why he would not accept it, one of the other Swapo Councillors reportedly interrupted and said the Magistrate could not ask him that.It was at that point that the meeting ended.According to the Town Clerk the coalition had requested to go into caucus with the Swapo candidates before the meeting on Wednesday to discuss the nominations, but Swapo declined.What should have been a day of celebration for the new office bearers turned into uncertainty as Stramiss and Namases did not know whether they were allowed to take up their new positions.It was especially the young supporters of Stramiss who felt very disappointed with the turn of events.According to reports, the Swapo candidates had apparently said earlier they were not happy with the coalition between UDF and CoD, which meant they would loose the top positions in Council, and the fact that Stramiss was going to serve on the Council.!Gobs said a report of the events on Wednesday would be forwarded to the Ministry of Regional and Local Government and Housing for advice on what should be done.The Town Clerk, Sebastiaan !Gobs, told The Namibian that the meeting was ended by the Magistrate after several attempts to get the Swapo candidates to take part in the process failed.!Gobs said the ruling party Councillors took the prescribed oath with the two Congress of Democrats (CoD) and two United Democratic Front (UDF) Councillors at the beginning of the meeting.With the majority vote in the hands of the CoD-UDF coalition, the Mayor and Deputy Mayor and first two members of the Management Committee were chosen by the four opposition candidates.The UDF’s Renathe Namases was elected Mayor and Daniel Stramiss of the CoD the Deputy Mayor.The two remaining opposition candidates, Loot Dwinger of the CoD and Phillemon Nauseb of the UDF were elected onto the Management Committee.The third member had to come from the Swapo Councillors, but they refused to nominate a person.The Magistrate reminded them of their responsibility to participate as they had taken the oath.The candidates stuck to their refusal, even after the meeting was adjourned for five minutes.The Magistrate then requested the opposition to nominate a Swapo Councillor and Tuhafeni Haufiku was proposed.He refused to accept the nomination.When the Magistrate asked him why he would not accept it, one of the other Swapo Councillors reportedly interrupted and said the Magistrate could not ask him that.It was at that point that the meeting ended.According to the Town Clerk the coalition had requested to go into caucus with the Swapo candidates before the meeting on Wednesday to discuss the nominations, but Swapo declined.What should have been a day of celebration for the new office bearers turned into uncertainty as Stramiss and Namases did not know whether they were allowed to take up their new positions.It was especially the young supporters of Stramiss who felt very disappointed with the turn of events.According to reports, the Swapo candidates had apparently said earlier they were not happy with the coalition between UDF and CoD, which meant they would loose the top positions in Council, and the fact that Stramiss was going to serve on the Council.!Gobs said a report of the events on Wednesday would be forwarded to the Ministry of Regional and Local Government and Housing for advice on what should be done.