Katima Mulilo
Swapo Party Youth League (SPYL) members in Zambezi are caught in the eye of a political storm as they have different opinions on the issue regarding the resignation of Katima Mulilo Town Council chief executive officer Charles Nawa, who says he was ‘forced” to resign.
All this started last week when the SPYL regional secretary in Zambezi, Sarriety Sikobiso, sent a letter to the town council addressed to the mayor Georgina Mwiya-Simataa and town council chairperson Lister Shamalaza.
In the letter in possession of New Era, Sikobiso demanded that the mayor and the chairperson should revoke the resignation of Nawa, as he did not resign voluntarily but was apparently forced to do so by the mayor and the management committee of Katima Mulilo Town Council.
Sikobiso further alleges there is favouritism when it comes to the awarding of tenders and plots at the council, and this is one of the reasons that led to the booting of Nawa from the town council.
“We heard that Mr Nawa was forced to resign because you want to allocate plots to your family, giving tenders to your families and recruiting your children from Ikaba, Kasika and Nsundwa to the Town Council,” stated the letter that triggered the latest political storm that has engulfed Katima.
“Can the mayor explain why sequence was given a tender to build houses to the council? If the CEO is leaving we demand the mayor and chairperson to resign as well,” the letter further stated.
In the letter Sikobiso threatened that should they receive no response the youth league will march to the town council today to hand over the petition. She further stated that should they receive no feedback they will approach the Minister of Urban and Rural Development Sofia Shaningwa.
However in a turn of events the SPYL members of Katima Urban constituency have distanced themselves from the remarks made by its regional secretary.
“Comrade Sikobiso drafted the letter alone with the help of her friends without have involved the SPYL leadership neither in the region nor in Katima Urban constituency,” said the SPYL secretary for Katima Urban constituency Justin Mwazi during a press briefing yesterday.
According to Mwazi no one in the entire regional SPYL is in support of Sikobiso’s remarks. He further alleges that Sikobiso is working hand in hand with Nawa the outgoing Katima Mulilo CEO.
“When I came here at the Swapo regional office on Friday I found Sarriety and Mr Nawa, together with the former governor Mr Mwilima and a fourth person, I don’t know, having a meeting,” he said.
Contacted for comment Katima Mulilo mayor Georgina Mwiya-Simataa confirmed that she received the letter, but she could not be drawn into commenting on the matter.
“The letter was distributed to us by the CEO during a council meeting, but all I can say is that no one forced Mr Nawa to resign, his resignation was voluntary,” she said.
Contacted for comment, Sikobiso stated that she was aware of the letter but the information in the letter did not come from her.
“It is not me who drafted that letter, I was approached by a group of youth within the youth league, and I only put my signature there,” she said.
She further stated that her idea was for the mayor to respond and for the matter to be discussed with her.
“I cannot comment further on the issue as the regional executive has to sit first – all I can say is that it is an internal matter, we don’t want it to be in the media for now,” she said.
Charles Nawa could not be reached for comment as his mobile phone went unanswered.