Lahja Nashuuta
Several community activists across Namibia have confirmed their intention to contest the upcoming regional and local authorities elections, citing public demand and the need for improved service delivery as their motivation.
In Omaheke, social justice activist Veronia Kuzeeko-Mokaleng announced her decision to run under the banner of the Right to Shelter organisation.
Kuzeeko-Mokaleng has long been vocal about inadequate service delivery in the Gobabis area. Recently, she handed over a petition on behalf of residents to the Minister of Urban and Rural Development, James Sankwasa, highlighting chronic electricity and water outages, deteriorating sanitation, non-functional infrastructure, and stalled housing projects for the poor.
“Yes, I am contesting. The residents of Omaheke are tired, and they want change. People voted for the council to facilitate service delivery, but they are currently looting while the town is in chaos,” she alleged.
The petition details that power and water disruptions often last hours or even days, affecting health, businesses, and residents’ dignity. Waste management is also a critical concern, with rubbish left uncollected for weeks in several neighbourhoods, posing serious health risks. “Many households don’t even have proper waste bins. Conditions in some areas are appalling,” Kuzeeko-Mokaleng added.
Despite not initially planning to enter politics, Kuzeeko-Mokaleng said the community encouraged her to contest, trusting her ability to effect meaningful change once part of the council. In Outjo, community leader Mazenge Uaundja has also declared his candidacy as an independent contender for the constituency office. He plans to prioritise youth employment through tourism, agriculture, and mining projects, as well as youth training programmes and the upliftment of informal settlements.
In Hardap, Rehoboth-based activist Andre Pistorius has confirmed his intention to contest, while in //Kharas, BalaMan Joj Vries from Berseba has also announced his candidacy in response to community demand. In Tsumeb, Elizabeth Claasen, known for her advocacy on informal settlement issues, is entering the race as well.
Walvis Bay’s community activist, Elvis Goseb, has confirmed his bid for the local authority, citing growing youth unemployment and failures in basic service delivery. In Katima Mulilo, Brave Sario has declared his intention to contest the local authority elections.
In the Khomas region, Renchiah !Gaes has confirmed her candidacy, motivated by community demand. A Windhoek-based entrepreneur and activist, !Gaes has long been a voice for residents in Katutura’s most impoverished communities, bringing issues to the attention of councillors during events such as winter fires and flooding in informal settlements. She also helped secure a bus stop for Okapale informal settlement and prepaid water access for the Saamstaan community as some of her notable achievements.
Recently, social justice activist Shaun “Asprilla” Gariseb, a Katutura resident, also announced his intention to contest as an independent candidate for Katutura Central. Known for his grassroots engagement, Gariseb’s decision is fuelled by “years of unmet needs and frustrations among residents”.
“Katutura Central is plagued by deep-rooted challenges, yet I see people campaigning for positions instead of solutions,” Gariseb said. “We have shack houses masquerading as homes, a municipality drowning pensioners in debt, and youth who remain sidelined and disempowered.”
“Activists across the country are positioning themselves as voices of accountability and change, responding to communities dissatisfied with current service delivery and governance. This is not a joke,” threatened Gariseb.
Caution
However, senior Legal Aid officer and political commentator Natjirikasorua Tjirera has cautioned activists about the risks of mixing activism with politics.
“Ordinarily, it would be ideal for activists to occupy positions of authority if they remain true to their communities and carry their activist agenda into political office,” Tjirera explained. “But we should be reminded that activism is a calling on its own. It is the art of challenging the status quo and pushing authorities to serve the people. It is an art of selflessness, which can easily be compromised once one enters politics,” he maintained.
Tjirera stressed that once an activist is elected, they no longer stand as independent campaigners for justice but as political office-bearers bound by party or council agendas. “More often than not, political agendas cloud the judgment of politicians. The art of selflessly serving the people becomes compromised because of the assumed political role,” he warned.
Nonetheless, he added, there is space for activists to make a positive difference if they remain disciplined and committed. “If a councillor can maintain their culture of service, continue to act selflessly, and most importantly understand that politics is an art of service and not a career, then they should indeed run for office. The challenge, however, has always been resisting the temptations of power, titles, and privileges that come with political office,” Tjirera cautioned.