Swapo’s //Kharas regional coordinator Matheus Mumbala has put the blame for the poor delivery of services to residents, squarely in the hands of the Landless People’s Movement.
He made these remarks during a press conference in Keetmanshoop last weekend.
“LPM has clearly disappointed their own voters through demonstrated failure in governance and paralysed service delivery in the region,” said Mumbala.
He said the movement’s political leadership, which is in charge of the region, furthermore failed to fulfil their obligation towards paying NamWater’s account and that they are allegedly using monies paid by residents for basic services to cover their subsistence-and travelling allowances, creating the fear that some of these services might be disconnected in the long run.
‘’The LPM has suspended
//Kharas chief regional officer (with salary) and other chief executive officers in local authorities, but failed to provide evidence on the charges levelled against such staff members,’’ Mumbala emphasised.
He also raised the concern that the Keetmanshoop town council is operating without a management committee whilst the region has no representatives in the National Council under the LPM majority political leadership.
“We are thus calling on the residents to wake up and see the incapability and mismanagement of the current political leadership in the region,’’ said Mumbala.
Referring to the judicial system in the region, he requested magistrates to recuse themselves from politically related disputes as this may compromise outcomes.
“It is obvious that the Keetmanshoop magistrate is equally responsible for this (political turmoil) as she fails to listen to council officials,” he said.
Mumbala also reasoned courts should not play politics as the justice system in the country is expected to be an independent one.
He called on the minister of urban and rural development to intervene in the current affairs at Keetmanshoop Municipality and //Kharas Regional Council before it is too late.
Approached for comment, municipality spokesperson Dawn Kruger said the entity will refrain from doing so at this stage.
The response from the LPM was not ready at the time of going to print.
- sklukowski@nepc.com.na