UDF members preparing for Khorixas regional councillor election

FOUR United Democratic Front members have announced that they are aspiring to be the party’s candidate in the Khorixas constituency in the regional council election later this year.

According to UDF president Apius !Auchab, UDF members declaring their interest to stand for the position of Khorixas constituency councillor on their party’s ticket is the “first phase” of democracy.

The date for the nomination of the party’s candidate is still to be announced, as more than one candidate has declared an interest to run in the election, he said.

Khorixas has six UDF branches. “If the nominations from the six branches are neck to neck, then a primary will take place but if more than four branches nominate one person, we don’t need to hold a primary,” !Auchab said.

He added that he wished all four aspiring candidates the best during the nomination process and called on those who will not be chosen as the candidate to throw their support behind the winner.

The Khorixas constituency was a UDF stronghold until 2015, when the party’s candidate, Sebastian !Gobs, who was seeking re-election as regional councillor, was defeated by Swapo candidate Elias Xoagub.

UDF members who have shown interest in the Khorixas constituency regional councillor position are !Gobs (52), Dorcas Shikongo (50), Charlton Richter (41) and Nicodemus #Gaeseb.

The outspoken Shikongo, who is the only woman in the race, has been the secretary general of the UDF Women’s League since 2009 and also serves on the party’s national executive committee and its central committee. Shikongo is currently a Khoekhoegowab teacher and is also the chairperson of the !Khoro !Goreb Conservancy near Khorixas.

!Gobs, who as Khorixas regional councillor was a member of the National Council from 2004 to 2010, is the son of the late UDF stalwart Simson !Gobs and comes from a revered family among the Damara clans.

Richter (41) is a former teacher and the youngest of the four. He is employed as the control administrative officer at the Khorixas regional councillor’s office.

Richter previously served as the vice chairperson and acting chairperson of the Uibasen Conservancy, and is currently a member of the Namibian Vulnerability Assessments Committee under the Office of the Prime Minister.

#Gaeseb previously served as the Khorixas Town Council’s chief executive officer and is the chairperson of the local UDF branch.

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