Kuzeeko Tjitemisa
WINDHOEK – The Omaheke Regional Council has picked Nudo councillor for Otjinene constituency Erwin Katjizeu to represent it in the National Council, following the resignation of former Swapo councillor for Gobabis Phillipus Katamelo.
The recommendation was made on Friday during the swearing in ceremony of Swapo’s Augustinus Tebele, who emerged victorious during the Gobabis constituency by-election on 15 January this year. Katjizeu will join his follow party member Aminuis constituency councillor Peter Kazongominja to represent the region in the National Council.
He was recommended by Swapo’s Omaheke Regional Council chairperson and Kalahari constituency councillor Ignatius Kariseb and seconded by Swapo’s Okorukambe constituency councillor Rafael Mokaleng.
Katamelo late last year tendered his resignation from the regional council in compliance with the Electoral Act of 2014, which calls for office bearers to resign if they want to be on the party’s list of candidates for the National Assembly.
Katjizeu, speaking to New Era yesterday, promised to do everything to honour the confidence placed in him.
“Our region is one of the less developed regions and I will make sure the plight of the inhabitants is heard in the upper chamber,” he said briefly.
The regional council now consists of newly elected Swapo Gobabis councillor Tebele, Swapo’s Epukiro councillor Cornelius Kanguatjivi, Swapo’s Okorukambe councillor Mokaleng, independent candidate Otjombinde councillor Katjanaa Kaurivi, Nudo’s Katjizeu and Kazongominja.
Tebele was also appointed as a member of the Omaheke regional council management committee, filling the position vacated by Katjizeu.
Speaking to Nampa in an interview, Tebele said his victory means he will be accountable to the people of his constituency and that he, therefore, aims to work closely with the residents of Gobabis to understand their expectations from him as the leader they have elected.
“I have realised there is a gap between the community and the leadership. Hence, I am proposing quarterly meetings where I will meet with the members of the community to enlighten them on existing programmes and to bridge this gap,” he said.
He added he will introduce a back-to-school campaign, which he plans to embark on in a week to familiarise himself with the challenges encountered by both learners and teachers, as well as regional education directorates to identify areas where improvement is needed.
“As leaders, we tend to tackle issues from observation without fully understanding the root cause of the problem,” he added.