Marythar Kambinda

KATIMA MULILO – The Katima Mulilo town council held the election of office-bearers for 2022/2023 on Tuesday. The annual event was last week postponed after three members of the council boycotted it.

Magistrate Davy Kambinda presided over the election, where Lister Shamalaza of Swapo was re-elected as mayor of Katima Mulilo, making it is his third term, while Lascan Sikosi of the PDM will serve as his deputy.

Furthermore, John Ntemwa (Swapo) retained his position as chairperson of the management committee, while Christina Simanga (Swapo) and Namangolwa Mapenzi (Swapo) were elected as members of the management committee. Two council members, Watson Kalaluka of the National Democratic Party and Charles Musiyalike of the Independent Patriots for Change, were absent.

In his acceptance speech, Shamalaza said the moment did not call for celebration, but it was instead time to put differences aside and work as a collective towards attaining the goal, which is to accelerate on service delivery. He stressed that members should move forward united, and put the interests of the community first.

“It is only when we are united that we can build on the strategies to propel council forward,” he added. Shamalaza noted that as mayor of the town, he will direct his attention to solving the daunting challenges of roads infrastructure, sewer reticulation and land servicing of the town.

Kennedy Simasiku, councillor of Katima Mulilo Urban, who stood in on behalf of governor Lawrence Sampufu, commended the members of the town council for the unity they have shown through the nomination of Sikosi of the PDM as deputy mayor.

“The majority party has shown maturity by electing an opposition member as deputy mayor. This shows that you have decided to work together for the best interest of the public, and I congratulate you for that,” he reiterated.