The race to replace long-serving Okakarara constituency councillor Vetaruhe Kandorozu has intensified after ten aspiring National Unity Democratic Organisation (Nudo) candidates availed themselves for elections in the upcoming party primaries set for next week.
The ten hopeful Nudo candidates, who are aware the constituency has long been in the hands of the opposition and its Nudo stronghold since independence, submitted their names to the party’s secretary general, Josef Kauandenge.
The Monday primaries will nominate one Nudo candidate who will contest against other political parties for the Okakarara constituency in the upcoming regional council elections.
Okakarara constituency is one of the few constituencies that has not been run by the Swapo party since independence.
Then DTA leader Asser Mbai was elected councillor before the split that led to the re-formation of Nudo.
Mbai was once again elected councillor on the Nudo ticket.
Kandorozu has been the constituency councillor since 2004 regional elections.
He won the 2015 regional election with 3 628 votes, followed by Jonathan Tjakuva of Swapo with 2 126 votes and Abdal Mutjavikua of the Democratic Turnhalle Alliance (DTA) with 1 702 votes.
Swanu’s Mujazu Urika also ran and gained 100 votes.
The ten Nudo members gunning for what appears to be an automatic councillorship position judging from the constituency history are former PDM leader Tjeripo Tjikuua, Sam Kapukare, Bennie Ketjijere, former vice president of the Namibia National Farmers Union (NNFU) Ramana Mutjavikua, Tjiponi Kamapunga and Abross Mundjindjiri.
Others are Marama Kavita, Nocky Kaapehi, Jackson Hindjou and Kaarongana Mbaha.
Kandorozu, who has been credited for having brought massive development to the constituency for the past 15 years, announced in March this year that he will not stand for re-election at this year’s regional council and local authority elections scheduled for November.
Shortly after his announcement, Kandorozu was banned by the party new leadership from actively participating or contesting for any leadership positions within the party for two years, after he was found guilty of having de-campaigned his party during last year’s elections.
- ktjitemisa@nepc.com.na