Matheus Hamutenya
Keetmanshoop-The mayor of Keetmanshoop since 2015, Gaudentia Kröhne, was re-elected to that position at a short ceremony at the municipal chambers yesterday.
Hillia Titus was also re-elected as the town’s deputy mayor, while Gabriel Freyer remains chairperson of the municipal management committee and Justine Louw and Erenst Jash join him in the committee.
All these positions have been occupied by the same Swapo local councillors since Swapo’s overwhelming win in the 2015 regional council and local authority elections, which saw the party take five of the seven local authority seats at the town, with one each going to Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP) and Popular Democratic Movement (PDM).
In her brief acceptance speech, Kröhne said she was ready to accept the huge task that comes with the office of the mayor, and to work with the diverse community of the town, other stakeholders and fellow councillors, irrespective of their political affiliation.
She commended her fellow councillors for the good job they have done as a team in the past two years, highlighting the takeover of electricity supply functions at the town as one of those achievements the councillors should be proud of, and encouraged them to continue with the team spirit.
“We did it for the past two years and I am confident we will work together for the remaining three years. Unity is strength – if we were not united as a team, we would not have achieved what we have accomplished in the last two terms,” she said.
She further reminded the councillors of the challenges that the municipality faces in providing effective, efficient and reliable municipal services to the residents of Keetmanshoop, saying the main objectives of the council come 2018 would remain the provision of affordable housing and basic services.
The mayor added that the focus would be on the development of infrastructure, attracting new businesses and investors and making Keetmanshoop a tourism hub.