‘Who said it’s a surprise?’ asks Shaningwa on Katima council recall ‘Who said it’s a surprise?’ asks Shaningwa on Katima council recall
Phillipus JosefRundu
Swapo secretary general Sophia Shaningwa responded with fury when asked whether the ruling party had been consulted and had concurred with urban and rural development minister James Sankwasa’s decision to recall its four councillors from the Katima Mulilo town council, alongside three others from opposition parties.Four political parties were represented on the council, which Sankwasa dissolved on 14 August for allegedly defying his directives. The dismissed councillors belonged to Swapo, the National Democratic Party (NDP), the Popular Democratic Movement (PDM), and the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC).
The seven councillors removed are mayor John Ntemwa, Lister Shamalaza, Namangolwa Mapenzi, and Christina Simanga (all from Swapo); Lascan Sikosi (PDM); Simasiku Mukendwa (NDP); and Charles Musiyalike (IPC).
The minister’s decision, contained in a government gazette, follows alleged persistent irregularities at the town council, which had previously been given a chance to correct governance issues.
Asked if Swapo was aware of Sankwasa’s decision in advance and supported it, a fiery Shaningwa said: “Who told you it came as a surprise, huh? Also, please leave me alone. You guys like stories, yeses.”
PDM president McHenry Vennani, in a telephonic interview with Namibian Sun yesterday, said: “We are yet to hear the fundamental reasons why a council is dissolved three months ahead of the elections. Corruption can never be condoned and councils must run the affairs of the people beyond reproach. The Minister must apply his powers judiciously and legally. Only if he justifies his reason can we establish his conduct.”
Speaking on his dismissal, NDP’s Mukendwa said he supported Sankwasa’s action, noting that opposition views on critical council matters were often stifled. “Simply because [Swapo] had the majority, they decided that whatever advice from the opposition leaders was put forth was declined. I’m very happy with the decision of the minister to dissolve the council, even though some of us are not implicated in the issues at hand... No one is beyond the law or above the law. We should be treated equally.”
Swapo councillor and now former mayor John Ntemwa confirmed that the dismissal emanated from the May 2025 directive from Sankwasa, which required the town council to return vehicles they had received in exchange for land back to the landowner. The town council has maintained that the controversial transaction was above board.
Ntemwa said: “The manner in which Honourable Sankwasa invoked [provisions of the Act] was not fair... The investigation team that he sent were auditors tasked with fault-finding. They found that the land in question was not bartered. There is a price, and there is a resolution that the land is worth N$1.2 million.”
“We requested ministerial approval regarding selling other open spaces in the town. The ministry responded. We can’t give ministerial approval on these lanes because it is not part and parcel of the township planning. Therefore, we took a resolution for the investor to bear all those costs, which he accepted... That is why we gave a go-ahead for consent to use, as a risk-based solution to start the planning and development on that riverbed land.”
Acting Swapo regional coordinator Dorothy Kabula, who is also the regional governor for Zambezi, when contacted yesterday, said: “I do not have anything to say.”
Phillipus JosefRundu
Swapo secretary general Sophia Shaningwa responded with fury when asked whether the ruling party had been consulted and had concurred with urban and rural development minister James Sankwasa’s decision to recall its four councillors from the Katima Mulilo town council, alongside three others from opposition parties.Four political parties were represented on the council, which Sankwasa dissolved on 14 August for allegedly defying his directives. The dismissed councillors belonged to Swapo, the National Democratic Party (NDP), the Popular Democratic Movement (PDM), and the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC).
The seven councillors removed are mayor John Ntemwa, Lister Shamalaza, Namangolwa Mapenzi, and Christina Simanga (all from Swapo); Lascan Sikosi (PDM); Simasiku Mukendwa (NDP); and Charles Musiyalike (IPC).
The minister’s decision, contained in a government gazette, follows alleged persistent irregularities at the town council, which had previously been given a chance to correct governance issues.
Swapo secretary general Sophia Shaningwa responded with fury when asked whether the ruling party had been consulted and had concurred with urban and rural development minister James Sankwasa’s decision to recall its four councillors from the Katima Mulilo town council, alongside three others from opposition parties.Four political parties were represented on the council, which Sankwasa dissolved on 14 August for allegedly defying his directives. The dismissed councillors belonged to Swapo, the National Democratic Party (NDP), the Popular Democratic Movement (PDM), and the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC).
The seven councillors removed are mayor John Ntemwa, Lister Shamalaza, Namangolwa Mapenzi, and Christina Simanga (all from Swapo); Lascan Sikosi (PDM); Simasiku Mukendwa (NDP); and Charles Musiyalike (IPC).
The minister’s decision, contained in a government gazette, follows alleged persistent irregularities at the town council, which had previously been given a chance to correct governance issues.
Asked if Swapo was aware of Sankwasa’s decision in advance and supported it, a fiery Shaningwa said: “Who told you it came as a surprise, huh? Also, please leave me alone. You guys like stories, yeses.”
PDM president McHenry Vennani, in a telephonic interview with Namibian Sun yesterday, said: “We are yet to hear the fundamental reasons why a council is dissolved three months ahead of the elections. Corruption can never be condoned and councils must run the affairs of the people beyond reproach. The Minister must apply his powers judiciously and legally. Only if he justifies his reason can we establish his conduct.”
Speaking on his dismissal, NDP’s Mukendwa said he supported Sankwasa’s action, noting that opposition views on critical council matters were often stifled. “Simply because [Swapo] had the majority, they decided that whatever advice from the opposition leaders was put forth was declined. I’m very happy with the decision of the minister to dissolve the council, even though some of us are not implicated in the issues at hand... No one is beyond the law or above the law. We should be treated equally.”
Swapo councillor and now former mayor John Ntemwa confirmed that the dismissal emanated from the May 2025 directive from Sankwasa, which required the town council to return vehicles they had received in exchange for land back to the landowner. The town council has maintained that the controversial transaction was above board.
Ntemwa said: “The manner in which Honourable Sankwasa invoked [provisions of the Act] was not fair... The investigation team that he sent were auditors tasked with fault-finding. They found that the land in question was not bartered. There is a price, and there is a resolution that the land is worth N$1.2 million.”
“We requested ministerial approval regarding selling other open spaces in the town. The ministry responded. We can’t give ministerial approval on these lanes because it is not part and parcel of the township planning. Therefore, we took a resolution for the investor to bear all those costs, which he accepted... That is why we gave a go-ahead for consent to use, as a risk-based solution to start the planning and development on that riverbed land.”
Acting Swapo regional coordinator Dorothy Kabula, who is also the regional governor for Zambezi, when contacted yesterday, said: “I do not have anything to say.”
Phillipus JosefRundu
Swapo secretary general Sophia Shaningwa responded with fury when asked whether the ruling party had been consulted and had concurred with urban and rural development minister James Sankwasa’s decision to recall its four councillors from the Katima Mulilo town council, alongside three others from opposition parties.Four political parties were represented on the council, which Sankwasa dissolved on 14 August for allegedly defying his directives. The dismissed councillors belonged to Swapo, the National Democratic Party (NDP), the Popular Democratic Movement (PDM), and the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC).
The seven councillors removed are mayor John Ntemwa, Lister Shamalaza, Namangolwa Mapenzi, and Christina Simanga (all from Swapo); Lascan Sikosi (PDM); Simasiku Mukendwa (NDP); and Charles Musiyalike (IPC).
The minister’s decision, contained in a government gazette, follows alleged persistent irregularities at the town council, which had previously been given a chance to correct governance issues.
Comments
Namibian Sun
No comments have been left on this article