Swapo takes downgraded Otavi

OTAVI, which has been downgraded to a village, will see the ruling party Swapo at the helm of the embattled council.

The party ousted the Otavi Residents’ Association (Ora), previously in power, taking all five seats on the council. Prior to the elections, Otavi was one of only three towns – along with Gobabis and Rehoboth – controlled by a civic organisation.Ora leader, former Mayor Immanuel Kaundje, complained to The Namibian on Friday about alleged “unfair” tactics by Swapo to influence the voting process.However, Director of Elections Phillemon Kanime said yesterday that the Electoral Commission had not received any formal complaint of voting irregularities from people at the town.Kaundje alleged that Swapo had still been campaigning in the township on Friday morning and that it had displayed posters too close to the main polling station at the community hall.According to Kaundje, party leaders also transported people to the town’s three polling stations in vehicles displaying Swapo posters.In turn, the association was involved in a squabble with Police over a stand which was also allegedly too close to a polling station.Kaundje further claimed that his organisation’s supporters had been threatened and afraid to vote.Ora mustered only 86 votes compared to Swapo’s 1 607.The CoD, which contested elections here for the first time, obtained 128 votes.In total, 1 844 of 2 896 eligible voters cast their ballots.According to Kanime, both the regional councillor and the election’s returning officer had conveyed satisfaction with the way the process went.Kanime said it appeared the association were raising “petty issues”.”Parties are complaining unnecessarily.Some complaints can be sorted out among the political parties themselves,” he said.”Swapo is a big party.They are responsible for every citizen in this country.They are very responsible,” Kanime said in response to complaints about the party at Otavi.Kanime said the ECN had only received a minor complaint from the United Democratic Front (UDF) at Outjo that the DTA office, which was close to one of the polling stations, was opened on the day.Further, no other formal complaints from any of the towns about alleged voting irregularities were reported, Kanime said.”Some people are doing this deliberately.They only want attention.There was no violence, no nothing.Everything went well.”Overall, residents’ associations did not fare well in this year’s Local Authority elections.At Henties Bay, the Civics will share power with Swapo with three seats each, while at Rehoboth the Ratepayers’ Association was ousted from the council.The newly-formed Katima Alliance for Development Association could not obtain a single seat on their town council.Prior to the elections, Otavi was one of only three towns – along with Gobabis and Rehoboth – controlled by a civic organisation.Ora leader, former Mayor Immanuel Kaundje, complained to The Namibian on Friday about alleged “unfair” tactics by Swapo to influence the voting process.However, Director of Elections Phillemon Kanime said yesterday that the Electoral Commission had not received any formal complaint of voting irregularities from people at the town.Kaundje alleged that Swapo had still been campaigning in the township on Friday morning and that it had displayed posters too close to the main polling station at the community hall.According to Kaundje, party leaders also transported people to the town’s three polling stations in vehicles displaying Swapo posters.In turn, the association was involved in a squabble with Police over a stand which was also allegedly too close to a polling station.Kaundje further claimed that his organisation’s supporters had been threatened and afraid to vote.Ora mustered only 86 votes compared to Swapo’s 1 607.The CoD, which contested elections here for the first time, obtained 128 votes.In total, 1 844 of 2 896 eligible voters cast their ballots.According to Kanime, both the regional councillor and the election’s returning officer had conveyed satisfaction with the way the process went.Kanime said it appeared the association were raising “petty issues”.”Parties are complaining unnecessarily.Some complaints can be sorted out among the political parties themselves,” he said.”Swapo is a big party.They are responsible for every citizen in this country.They are very responsible,” Kanime said in response to complaints about the party at Otavi.Kanime said the ECN had only received a minor complaint from the United Democratic Front (UDF) at Outjo that the DTA office, which was close to one of the polling stations, was opened on the day.Further, no other formal complaints from any of the towns about alleged voting irregularities were reported, Kanime said.”Some people are doing this deliberately.They only want attention.There was no violence, no nothing.Everything went well.”Overall, residents’ associations did not fare well in this year’s Local Authority elections.At Henties Bay, the Civics will share power with Swapo with three seats each, while at Rehoboth the Ratepayers’ Association was ousted from the council.The newly-formed Katima Alliance for Development Association could not obtain a single seat on their town council.