SWAKOPMUND - Independent Patriot for Change president Panduleni Itula says there is no doubt that Swakopmund constituency councillor Ciske Howard-Smith is not a resident in her elected constituency.
Itula, who held a question-and-answer session on Saturday in Swakopmund, told IPC members in attendance that the party has concluded the investigation into Howard-Smith’s place of residency.
The latter has been accused of fraudulent activities involving documents she submitted to verify her proof of residence as required by the Regional Councils Act 22 of 1992, and was restrained last month by the IPC from carrying out any official duties of the regional council. “There is no doubt that our constituency councillor is not resident in the constituency of Swakopmund. She has not been a resident, according to the provisions of the law.
Hence, we are bound by the rules of the law and will implement it with no doubt, irrespective of who is involved. This party will not wait for the ACC to come forth. If you breach the principles of the law, we will act swiftly and decisively with results in the shortest period of time”, Itula told the gathering. He said the party, when it selected both its local and regional constituency council candidates, vetted where they were living.
“It clearly states that you must be 18 to participate in political activities and to be elected to be a regional councillor. It says that no person shall be qualified to be a member of the regional council unless he or she is ordinarily resident within the constituency in which he or she is elected, or should move to the constituency within three months,” Itula explained. “We will not act because we don’t like the person. We shall act because chaos cannot be the future of this country,” he stressed.
The politician added that it is not only Howard-Smith who does not live in her elected constituency.
“There are many who do not live in their constituencies. It is a mess that needs to be cleared up,” Itula said.
Members of the IPC in Swakopmund convened in late October to discuss this councillor’s suspension from party activities.
Members who attended the meeting expressed their concern over the developments, saying both parties (Howard-Smith and Itula) should address the disunity for the advancement of the political movement.
During that meeting, Howard-Smith said she is not planning to leave the IPC, but wants to take the party further for the development and benefit of all Namibians.
“I am loyal to the IPC. It is my loyalty that made me stand here today, and made me fight for our principles. We have a purpose, and that must be achieved,” she said during the October meeting.
Several attempts to get comment from Howard-Smith this weekend proved futile as her phone went unanswered.