WINDHOEK – Swapo Party Youth League (SPYL) member Muesee Kazapua was elected unopposed as the mayor of Windhoek yesterday, replacing Agnes Kafula who is expected to join parliament early next year.
The 34-year-old Kazapua, a Swapo member of the Windhoek City Council, was confirmed as mayor after an election held yesterday. Until yesterday he was the city’s deputy mayor.
He was confirmed as mayor hours before his party Swapo was announced as landslide winners of the just-ended presidential and National Assembly elections held on Friday.
It was Swapo’s convincing victory in the general elections that ensured that Kafula – who has come into sharp focus in recent weeks over the manner she handled land applications in Windhoek – would be going to parliament.
This after the Cassinga attack survivor emerged top of the female list at the Swapo electoral college three months ago. Overall, Kafula ranks fifth on the Swapo parliamentary list, with the party having won 77 seats in parliament according to the Electoral Commission of Namibia’s announcement yesterday.
The youthful Kazapua is a central committee member of the SPYL. He served on that committee alongside Job Amupanda, the suspended former SPYL spokesperson who a week ago led a mass submission of 14 000 land applications to the mayor’s office.
Kazapua inherits a city beset with a housing and land crisis, and will be expected to fulfil the city council’s promise to react to each of the 14 000 land applications submitted to it by thousands of landless people that Amupanda and other land activists spearheaded.
Issues of sanitation, access to potable water and electricity in Windhoek’s furthest informal settlements will greet Kazapua as he takes over the mayoral reins.
New Era understands that Kafula nominated Kazapua at yesterday’s election, with another Swapo councillor, Gerson Kamatuka, seconding the Young Turk’s nomination.
Kazapua will be deputised by Hangapo Veico, who was nominated by former Windhoek mayor Ellaine Trepper and seconded by Boas Ekandjo unopposed.
Swapo councillors John Moonde, Fransina Kahungu, Joseph Shikongo, Moses Shiikwa and Trepper will all serve on the management committee of the city. Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP) councillor Ellen Musialela was nominated for inclusion on the management committee but could not garner enough votes.
By Toivo Ndjebela