Usakos turns local politics upside down

A YOUNG community activist from Usakos, who led a series of protests against alleged corruption in the Town Council, was elected Deputy Mayor on Wednesday.

The CoD won two seats in the recent Local Authority Election with Daniel Stramiss (25) its number one candidate. Of the remaining seats, two went to the UDF and three to Swapo.The UDF’s Renathe Namases was elected the town’s first ever female Mayor at a meeting that ended in chaos when the three Swapo candidates refused to nominate a Councillor to the Management Committee (see separate story).The new Mayor, who works as a community development officer for the Ministry of Women and Child Welfare, told The Namibian she would focus on bringing development to the town.”I already do a lot of work with women and children and want to see the upliftment of those living in poverty.”Namases, who spent four months in India to learn about the development of rural areas, said she would try to bring development projects to her community with the help of her contacts in India.Stramiss told The Namibian before his election as Deputy Mayor that the CoD and UDF had decided to form a coalition “to take over the Council and stop corruption”.He was “very happy and flabbergasted” with the results and said the coalition’s aims were to bring the Council up to standard and get more investment to the town for development.”Usakos must become the town of choice on the Trans-Kalahari Corridor,” he said.As the outspoken leader of the Concerned Group, Stramiss was often accused by the outgoing councillors of using community meetings and demonstrations to campaign for the election.He reacted this week by saying the time had come to bury the old issues and to join hands and start anew.”I do not have a problem with working with those who pointed fingers at me.The elections are over and the time has come for all of us to work together, stop negative attitudes and ensure the Council is run professionally.”Stramiss said he had been approached by four parties after his work with the Concerned Group.”They knew that, as a community leader, I would get many votes.”He said he chose to go with the CoD as the party was transparent, promotes human rights and stands for a corruption-free government.As a newcomer to the election, the CoD won almost a quarter of the votes at Usakos.Voter turnout at the town was 70 per cent.Swapo retained the three seats it won in the previous poll.The DTA lost the only seat it held and the UDF lost one seat.Of the remaining seats, two went to the UDF and three to Swapo.The UDF’s Renathe Namases was elected the town’s first ever female Mayor at a meeting that ended in chaos when the three Swapo candidates refused to nominate a Councillor to the Management Committee (see separate story).The new Mayor, who works as a community development officer for the Ministry of Women and Child Welfare, told The Namibian she would focus on bringing development to the town.”I already do a lot of work with women and children and want to see the upliftment of those living in poverty.”Namases, who spent four months in India to learn about the development of rural areas, said she would try to bring development projects to her community with the help of her contacts in India.Stramiss told The Namibian before his election as Deputy Mayor that the CoD and UDF had decided to form a coalition “to take over the Council and stop corruption”.He was “very happy and flabbergasted” with the results and said the coalition’s aims were to bring the Council up to standard and get more investment to the town for development.”Usakos must become the town of choice on the Trans-Kalahari Corridor,” he said.As the outspoken leader of the Concerned Group, Stramiss was often accused by the outgoing councillors of using community meetings and demonstrations to campaign for the election.He reacted this week by saying the time had come to bury the old issues and to join hands and start anew.”I do not have a problem with working with those who pointed fingers at me.The elections are over and the time has come for all of us to work together, stop negative attitudes and ensure the Council is run professionally.”Stramiss said he had been approached by four parties after his work with the Concerned Group.”They knew that, as a community leader, I would get many votes.”He said he chose to go with the CoD as the party was transparent, promotes human rights and stands for a corruption-free government.As a newcomer to the election, the CoD won almost a quarter of the votes at Usakos.Voter turnout at the town was 70 per cent.Swapo retained the three seats it won in the previous poll.The DTA lost the only seat it held and the UDF lost one seat.