Oshikoto MPs ‘purged’ from parliament

Two Swapo members of parliament (MPs) from the Oshikoto region who have allegedly supported Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah in her bid for a second term as Swapo vice president at the party’s elective congress in November last year, have been removed as MPs.

Omutele constituency councillor Sackey Nangula and Olukonda constituency councillor Fillemon Ndjambula have been removed at a meeting to elect members of the Oshikoto Regional Council’s membership committee as per Article 109 of the Constitution.

Nangula and Ndjambula are now ordinary council members.

They have been replaced by Tsumeb councillor and businessman Gotty Ndjendjela and Onayena councillor Mateus Kamati.
The changes were made at a regional council meeting held on Tuesday.

The new members will serve from 1 June this year to June 2025.

Kamati and Ndjendjela this week joined Okankolo constituency councillor Hans Nambondi, who has served as an MP for many years.

The decision to remove Nangula and Ndjambula is perceived by some in the region as revenge, due to the two not supporting the factions opposing Nandi-Ndaitwah’s camp.

Other sources believe the removal of the two councillors is unconstitutional, since the constitutional provision according to which the election was held does not provide for the election of National Council representatives.

Minister of environment, forestry and tourism Pohamba Shifeta, prime minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, and Swapo Oshikoto regional coordinator Armas Amukwiyu unsuccessfully contested for Swapo’s vice president and secretary general positions, respectively.

Kuugongelwa-Amadhila and Shifeta lost to Nandi-Ndaitwah, while Amukwiyu was defeated by incumbent party secretary general Sophia Shaningwa.

A source on Tuesday said the decision to remove the two councillors was made by the Swapo regional executive committee.

However, Amukwiyu denied this, saying the council only rubber-stamped the decision.

“This thing was done according to the laws. Your sources are lying to you. How does the Swapo leadership come in? I am not a member of the regional council. We don’t sit in their meetings, we don’t know what is happening,” he said.

Nangula yesterday said he did not know why he has been removed as an MP, before he referred The Namibian to the Oshikoto regional office.

Ndjambula said he was not aware of being recalled, adding he would consult on the matter.

Tuesday’s elections also saw Oniipa councillor Vilho Nuunyango being elected as a member of the Oshikoto Regional Council’s management committee.

Nuunyango has been an ordinary council member since his election in November 2020.

He joined Guinas and Eengodi constituency councillors Elias Marthinu and Protasius Neshuku, who retained their positions in the management committee.

Omuthiya councillor Samuel Shivute retained his position as chairperson of the Oshikoto Regional Council.

The chairperson of Oshikoto Regional Council, Samuel Shivute, yesterday declined to comment on the election, saying it is his democratic right to refuse to share the information with people he does not know.