Obrein Simasiku
Omuthiya
The All Peoples’ Party (APP) is in the process of launching a lawsuit against Grootfontein chief executive officer Charles Kariko and the mayor Abisai Haimane, in their personal capacities, for allegedly delaying the replacement of the party’s councillor Stanislaus
/Uiseb, who was recalled with immediate effect in February.
/Uiseb is to be replaced by Victoria Hausiku, who was second on the party’s local council list.
Last week the party vowed it would sue the duo if the new councillor was not sworn in by Friday.
The Grootfontein Municipality has already been summoned by APP’s lawyers Shikongo law firm to immediately replace former councillor /Uiseb.
This was revealed by APP acting secretary general Vincent Kanyetu last week. He said they are tired of the dilly-dallying tactics by the municipality nearly three months after the party had notified the municipality of their decision.
“I have been trying to speak to the CEO but it seems he is being pressurised by other councillors. The municipality only responded when they were summoned last month. A week ago the CEO sent me a SMS stating that they have resolved that the replacement be done on May 30. But what we want to know is why since February has the municipality failed to arrange the replacement and only reacts now. Why are they setting a date for us, when we as a party had already decided?” questioned an irate Kanyetu in a phone interview.
“They answered us that the delay is because the mayor is attending to some important issues, so that means ours in not important. These are just petty excuses they are trying to use. We are going to sue them because they are the ones delaying and should not use municipality resources for their failure to do what should have been done a long time ago,” he hinted again.
In a letter dated February 8, the APP had informed the municipality that it is replacing /Uiseb with immediate effect on grounds he allegedly on several occasions went to work under the influence of alcohol.
In addition, /Uiseb was also recalled for insubordination, not attending the party’s meetings and his failure to address and compile reports to be presented to the party.
“Through our investigation we have established that Haimene has a cash loan and he apparently lent /Uiseb some money, which he has not finished paying, hence now they are delaying things so that he can still be on the municipality payroll until he repays the loan,” alleged Kanyetu.
It is however not clear if /Uiseb is still on the municipality’s payroll. Upon inquiry from Haimene last week he referred all queries to the CEO.
On the other hand Kariko declined to comment nor would he deny the issues stating that he was out of office, thus could “not go into the merits of the matter”.