Ciske
"Obviously it's not nice to be unfairly fired, but I'm not surprised by the decision," Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) councillor for the Swakopmund constituency, Ciske Smith-Howard, said yesterday.
She did not reveal whether she would go to court to contest the party's decision to terminate her membership "with immediate effect", simply saying: "I am currently in discussion with my legal team".
According to a letter by the party’s national secretary-general Christine !Aochamus, Smith-Howard no longer has “any legitimate basis to serve as an IPC regional councillor in any capacity, effective immediately".
!Aochamus also asked the regional politician to give up all party property, including her membership card.
Smith-Howard was informed earlier this month that she had until 13 May to step down from her position as councillor, or the party would fire her. This directive, !Aochamus said, Smith-Howard ignored.
"The party's steering committee has decided to initiate the latter part of the conciliation committee's recommendation, given your refusal to relinquish your position in the regional council," it said. The letter also stated that she caused a "break in the relationship" with party leadership.
Tight-lipped
Smith-Howard was the IPC nominee for the Swakopmund constituency and won the election in late 2020 with a resounding victory. Now that she has been expelled from the party, the regional council law requires a by-election to be held within three months to fill the post.
Yesterday, Smith-Howard remained tight-lipped on whether she will be running in the election, either as an independent candidate or as a member of another party.
"I had many ideas and plans for my tenure and it's a shame I didn't achieve everything I set out to do," she said.
She added: "I still stand by my decisions and actions because I said from the beginning that I will speak out against things that are not right".
Fallout
IPC had originally prevented Smith-Howard from holding office in October 2021 and "restrained" her after a fallout about her constituency of residence.
After an internal investigation, she was charged with several allegations and an internal disciplinary procedure was initiated. At the end of February, however, the ministry of urban and rural development and Attorney General Festus Mbandeka announced that she would be allowed to resume her work as regional councillor.
The reason given was that the Erongo chief regional officer and the party had not complied with the law in the dispute, Namibia Media Holdings reported at the time.
Smith-Howard had hardly resumed her post as chairperson of the regional council when her IPC council colleague Florian Donatus and – surprisingly – Swapo regional council member Ernest Wetha passed a vote of no confidence against her at a council meeting.
Before the election could take place, she resigned as chairperson and has since served as an ordinary member of council.
She did not reveal whether she would go to court to contest the party's decision to terminate her membership "with immediate effect", simply saying: "I am currently in discussion with my legal team".
According to a letter by the party’s national secretary-general Christine !Aochamus, Smith-Howard no longer has “any legitimate basis to serve as an IPC regional councillor in any capacity, effective immediately".
!Aochamus also asked the regional politician to give up all party property, including her membership card.
Smith-Howard was informed earlier this month that she had until 13 May to step down from her position as councillor, or the party would fire her. This directive, !Aochamus said, Smith-Howard ignored.
"The party's steering committee has decided to initiate the latter part of the conciliation committee's recommendation, given your refusal to relinquish your position in the regional council," it said. The letter also stated that she caused a "break in the relationship" with party leadership.
Tight-lipped
Smith-Howard was the IPC nominee for the Swakopmund constituency and won the election in late 2020 with a resounding victory. Now that she has been expelled from the party, the regional council law requires a by-election to be held within three months to fill the post.
Yesterday, Smith-Howard remained tight-lipped on whether she will be running in the election, either as an independent candidate or as a member of another party.
"I had many ideas and plans for my tenure and it's a shame I didn't achieve everything I set out to do," she said.
She added: "I still stand by my decisions and actions because I said from the beginning that I will speak out against things that are not right".
Fallout
IPC had originally prevented Smith-Howard from holding office in October 2021 and "restrained" her after a fallout about her constituency of residence.
After an internal investigation, she was charged with several allegations and an internal disciplinary procedure was initiated. At the end of February, however, the ministry of urban and rural development and Attorney General Festus Mbandeka announced that she would be allowed to resume her work as regional councillor.
The reason given was that the Erongo chief regional officer and the party had not complied with the law in the dispute, Namibia Media Holdings reported at the time.
Smith-Howard had hardly resumed her post as chairperson of the regional council when her IPC council colleague Florian Donatus and – surprisingly – Swapo regional council member Ernest Wetha passed a vote of no confidence against her at a council meeting.
Before the election could take place, she resigned as chairperson and has since served as an ordinary member of council.
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