Deputy mayor told to leave office by Friday

The Swapo Politburo has directed the party’s Ohangwena regional coordinator, Hafeni Hatutale, to ensure that Helao Nafidi deputy mayor Panduleni Hainghumbi is removed from office by Friday.
The instruction is contained in a letter from Swapo secretary-general Nangolo Mbumba, dated 27 July.
“The Politburo reaffirmed its earlier decision and herein and finally directs you to make measures to have Comrade Panduleni Hainghumbi withdrawn from the town council and to have Comrade Lucia Nghililewanga installed as a legitimate councillor of Helao Nafidi Town Council. Kindly report the implementation of this directive of this not later than 5 August 2016,” the letter reads.
The letter does not indicate why Hainghumbi is being replaced.
Earlier this year Swapo members told Namibian Sun that they were disappointed by the unexplained removal of Nghililewanga, who was number two on the party’s candidate list for the election but was replaced just before the swearing-in ceremony on 4 December 2015.
Esther Nghidimbwa replaced Nghililewanga, who then reported the issue to top party officials. It is believed that her complaints led to the directive.
Responding to enquires from Namibian Sun Hainghumbi said she was visited at her home on Saturday afternoon by Ohangwena Governor Usko Nghaamwa, Ohangwena district coordinator Sarafina Shekunyanga and Ohangwena district mobiliser John Heita, who told her about the decision.
Hainghumbi said she was informed that the Politburo had decided to withdraw her from the Helao Nafidi council to “restore peace” in Ohangwena.
“They were at my house and it was just when I knocked off and they told me to understand in the name of seeking for peace in the district. I looked at them as I was confused as to why I should be used to bring peace to a situation I had nothing to do with,” Hainghumbi said.
Hainghumbi said Hatutale and Shekunyanga showed up uninvited at her home on Monday during the lunch hour and gave her a copy of Mbumba’s letter.
Hatutale said he was just carrying out his duties when he informed Hainghumbi about her removal.
“I just had to go along with what was decided through the office of the secretary-general,” he said.
“All the information was given to the office of the secretary-general and they decided upon that,” Hatutale said.
When contacted Mbumba said he was on his way to the Ohangwena Region. He said he does not discuss official party letters with the media.
According to Mbumba’s letter the decision to remove Hainghumbi stemmed from a letter from former president Hifikepunye Pohamba to President Hage Geingob.
However, according to Hainghumbi, Pohamba did not want her to be removed from the council. According to her, the former president said during a visit to the Swapo Ohangwena regional office at Eenhana early July that Esther Nghidimbwa should be removed from the council instead.
“Former president Pohamba told the people in attendance at that meeting, which Nghidimbwa also attended, that she must leave the council and make way for Nghililewanga, who was not sworn into the council in December after the election,” she said.
Nghidimbwa said because she had received no formal letter addressed to her, she will continue going to work.

KENYA KAMBOWE