Clemans Miyanicwe
KHORIXAS -Swapo Secretary-General, Sophia Shaningwa yesterday issued a directive to all Swapo regional coordinators across the country stating no elections are to take place for local authority office bearers, namely; the mayor, deputy mayor and members of the management committee.
This comes after the Swapo District Executive Committee (DEC) recently ousted the Khorixas mayor, Elizabeth Geises over suspicions that she is aligned to the opposition United Democratic Front (UDF).
“I hereby direct you that no elections are to take place, kindly wait for instructions up until Friday, 9th November 2018,” Shaningwa says in the circular sent out yesterday morning after 08h00.
The circular seen by this reporter addressed to all Swapo party regional coordinators dated 6th November under the heading, ‘Term of office for local authority office bearers.”
“I am writing to you as regional coordinators of Swapo party with the majority in the local authority to bring to your attention in terms of sections 11 (4) (a) and 21 of the Local Authority Act, No 23 of 1992, that the term of office of mayors, deputy mayors and chairpersons as well as members of the management committee will come to an end towards November 2018,” Shaningwa stated.
This reporter sent Shaningwa questions relating to Geisess removal and if Kleophas Tjuunduwa, the chairperson of the management committee can serve while he works in Outjo which is more than 60 kilometres away from Khorixas where he is supposed to serve, Shaningwa asked this reporter to send questions via Whatsapp but she did not respond to the questions sent to her.
The Khorixas district coordinator for Swapo at Khorixas, Reinhardt Haraeb could neither deny nor confirm the ousting of Geises despite various district executive committee members confirming Geises was indeed ousted after she was accused of working in cohorts with the opposition UDF.
The Swapo DEC at Khorixas made a decision on Sunday that Gerson //Goagoseb should become mayor, deputised by Emgardt #Nauses while Tjuunduwa remains the chairperson of the management committee and Lourens //Hoebeb becomes the vice chairperson of management committee.
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