Mulisa Simiyasa
OTJIWARONGO – Otjiwarongo mayor Leonard Simushi has called on his fellow local authority councillors to be accessible to the electorate and prepared to explain decisions taken at council meetings on behalf of the public.
Simushi made the call during the first council meeting of the year held at the Otjiwarongo Municipality council chambers on Thursday. He said Otjiwarongo residents desire to see a political leadership which is transparent, responsive and fair in its administration.
“For the council to meet these expectations, strengthened public engagements, not only through public meetings, but with a consistent communication and feedback mechanism, are needed,” he said. Simushi stated that accountability would be central in the governing council for the next five years, where challenges will be openly addressed.
“As we begin this year, I call on my fellow councillors to approach their role with seriousness and unity. Our political differences must never undermine service delivery or the interests of our residents,” he said.
Simushi said the first council meeting of the year marks the formal commencement of the work entrusted to the councillors, to reflect and transition into action, their oral commitments made during their political campaigns.
He said the previous councils laid solid foundations for the town’s existing infrastructure, housing initiatives, service delivery and the formulation of the 2025 municipality’s five-year strategic plan document, which provides direction to the new council.
“The new council’s duty now is to build upon the foundations already laid by the previous councils and also to activate the implementation systems for the planning document,” he said.
The new local authority councillors of Otjiwarongo include Simushi (mayor), deputised by Sebeteus Guiteb.
Namibia Kandume is the chairperson of the management committee, serving with Godhardt Hoko and Magano Jonannes, as well as Ernest Afrikaner, who is an additional member of the committee.
Gerd Sohrada is an ordinary council member.
-Nampa