Six Oshakati councillors voted out

SIX Oshakati Town Council members suffered a significant blow in the town’s primary elections on Sunday.

Election results seen by show that only the town mayor Angelus Iiyambo, who is placed at position seven on the list, made the cut.

If Swapo gets six seats like it did in 2015, Iiyambo will also not be part of the council and this means that the entire council would consist of new members.

In 2015, Swapo won six seats in the council, while the opposition Popular Democratic Movement got one seat.

The incoming councillors are Puyeipawa Elifas, Swapo party youth league leader Hofeni Mutota, Leonard Hango, Maria Mutumbulwa, Leo Shinime and Martha Nashidengo.

The outgoing councillors are Katrina Shimbulu, deputy mayor Ndamonongheda Hamunjela, management committee member Loise Shivolo, Onesmus Shilunga and Gabriel Kamwanka.

Speaking to The Namibian yesterday, Iiyambo said he was happy with the election results, adding that the party would make sure it wins all the seven seats in the town council. He claimed that the councillors were voted out because “maybe there is something at Oshakati that party members in the region are not happy with”.

“I scored well…it’s the people’s choice. Some people did not attend the regional conference so that they could participate in the elections. I accept the results, the elections were conducted in a good spirit, no irregularities. It was a free and fair process,” he said.

He said the results demonstrate that the old guard is giving the youth a chance. “However, to have an entirely new team without an experienced person, these young people are going to suffer. They need someone to advise them,” he added.

Hamunjela declined to comment on the elections, while Shivolo said she is happy with the election results. “I have no problem with the elections, they were free and fair,” she said.

This year, the Oshakati Town Council struggled to implement projects and render services to the residents, as it does not have a full management committee because of the absence of Shilunga and Kamwanka, who declined to be sworn in in December last year protesting the return of Shimbulu who had resigned from the council to take up a parliamentary seat, but failed.

The councillors are also blamed for the sale of land formerly known as Omatala, which was valued at N$30 million for N$2,5 million.

Erf 1342 was sold to Mouse Properties Ninety-Eight, an entity solely owned by businessman Erastus ‘Chicco’ Shapumba, in June 2016.

The land, measuring 1,7 hectares, is situated along the Oshakati main road and was previously used as an open market and bus terminal.

The councillors also allocated 40 plots to former mayor Katrina Shimbulu’s company to build houses. Her housing project is behind schedule. The town council has allegedly been treating her with kid gloves, including allowing her to miss project deadlines.

The 40 plots are situated at Ekuku and were expected to be completed within 10 months.

She denied the allegations early this year and threatened to reveal dirty secrets of leaders at the town if a campaign against her continues.

Shimbulu applied for land in 2014 through her company, Kamwiitulwa Electric Building Construction CC, to construct 100 houses in 10 months.