OSHAKATI – The ousted chairperson of the management committee at the Oshakati Town Council, Katrina Shimbulu, who is at the centre of the withdrawal of the local authority councillors at the town, said the party could have opted to chuck her out alone without dissolving the entire leadership.
“It is obvious that I am the unwanted party in the leadership, but why should the rest of the leadership be dissolved, could the party not just remove me?” Shimbulu questioned.
“I am ready to exit if that is what it would require for peace to prevail in the (Swapo) party and for the leadership to continue harmoniously,” said Shimbulu further.
The Swapo party on Monday recalled all Swapo councillors at the Oshakati Town Council for allegedly ‘defying a directive’ to instate Onesmus Shilunga.
In place of Shilunga as directed by the party, the councillors installed Shimbulu.
Shilunga rejoined the council in August this year, following the death of councillor Johannes Shilongo.
Shilunga, also a former mayor at the town lost his mayoral portfolio in 2015, after failing to be re-elected to the council.
The axed councillors in addition to Shilunga and Shimbulu are the town mayor Angelus Iyambo and his deputy Ndamonghenda Hamunyela.
Other councillors are Loise Shivolo, a member of the management committee and Gabriel Kamwanka who was demoted from being the chairperson of the management committee to an ordinary councillor.
Shimbulu was quick to add that she did not defy any party directive as she was merely nominated and seconded at the ceremony held earlier this month.
Shimbulu however questioned why the party was quick to recall the leadership without seeking audience with them to acquaint themselves with the situation and find the root cause.
“As if that is not enough, is that the only directive that has ever been defied? There have been several others, the documents can prove that. Why now?” questioned Shimbulu further.
When contacted for comment, Shilunga said the directive was only defied by a few councillors who were in cahoots to deviate from instructions as to who should nominate and second who in their positions as put in place by the party.
He said during proceedings, some councillors who were not tasked to nominate and second candidates ended up nominating and seconding candidates of their choice leading to the present chaos.