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Home / Kavara hard to replace, says Mensah-Williams
Kavara hard to replace, says Mensah-Williams
2018-01-04Staff Report 2 John Muyamba Rundu-National Council (NC) Chairperson, Margaret Mensah-Williams, has described the death of Rosa Kunyanda Kavara, who died of stroke in a Windhoek hospital, as a big loss and shock to the house of parliament. Mensah-Williams described Kavara as a dedicated member of the National Council. Kavara suffered a stroke and collapsed in a bank in Rundu on 30 December 2017. She was rushed to the Rundu Medical Centre and was later airlifted to Windhoek where she died on 2 January 2018. She was 59. “We put it in God’s hands; her legacy will continue,” Mensah-Williams said. “Of course, I was aware that she was suffering from a heart problem. Just a few years back, she had an operation. It’s really sad that she left us. She was a loyal, hardworking and joyful person and we will miss her dearly.” Kavara was elected, on a Swapo ticket, as the constituency cuncillor for Ncuncuni constituency during the 2015 elections and was successfullly nominated to represent the Kavango West Region in the fifth National Council where she was to serve as Member of Parliament from 2015 to 2020. Prior to her appointment to the NC in 2015, she served as a member of the Fourth National Council for Kavango West Region from 2010 to 2015. From 2011 to 2015 she served on the Standing Committee on Regional Development and Reports and on the National Council Women Caucus and she was also a member of Swapo Party Women’s Council Central Committee. Kavara also serving on the Standing Committee on Rules and Orders, Standing Committee on Women Caucus and, at the time of her passing, she was the Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Audit, a term that was to last until 2020. “She had passion for what she did and we were especially close as we were from the previous term together. I know that she was sad since the passing of her late husband who died about a year ago from a similar condition. From Swapo, we have lost a loyal and dedicated serving comrade and her constituency was very important to her and her wish has always been to become a member of the central committee and God granted her that before she died,” Mensah-Williams told New Era. The region will now have to send another person to replace Kavara in the NC and her constituency, until a by-election is held within three months to vote for a new councillor. “Unlike the local authority or National Assembly, who are on party lists, we are elected on the first past the post and we have to elect a person to replace her,” Mensah-Williams said. New Era also spoke to the Kavango West Regional Governor, Sirkka Ausiku, who also described Kavara’s death as a big loss to the region and the country at large. “Our region didn’t start well with the passing of one of our councillors and Member of Parliament Rosa Kavara. it’s a big loss not only to our region but also to the whole country and a loss to women empowerment programmes because she was the only woman among the eight constituency councillors,” Ausiku said. Kavara was born on 22 February 1958 in Nakazaza village in the Kavango region and is survived by children and grandchildren. 2018-01-04Staff Report 2
