Cheda gets new plot
The Oshakati town council has resolved that High Court judge, Zimbabwean national Maphios Cheda, will be allocated a new residential plot in town, despite a public outcry for landless Namibians to be considered first.
Cheda was previously allocated Erf 4035 in Oshakati's Extension 16, which was taken away from Patrick Shilongo.
The decision by the council to take the plot from Shilongo and give it to Cheda led to a 26 April demonstration and petition handover by the Affirmative Reposition (AR) movement.
AR opposed the transaction on the basis that the plot was previously allocated to Shilongo in 2015, and if it was to be taken away from him, it should rather be given to a Namibian in need of a residential erf.
Oshakati has a housing backlog of about 7 000 units.
Namibian Sun was reliably informed by those who attended last Wednesday's council meeting, it was resolved that both Cheda and Shilongo will be allocated new plots and not Erf 4035.
“It was resolved by council that Erf 4035, which was previously allocated to Cheda, will not be given to him because of the objections towards it and also it will not be given back to Shilongo. Council further resolved that different plots will be identified at a later stage and will be allocated to the two,” the source said.
The source expressed disappointment that AR's objections were not considered, in terms of Cheda being a foreigner and that thousands of Namibians remain landless. When contacted for comment, Oshakati council CEO Werner Iita, who attended the meeting, could not confirm or deny whether Cheda will be given another plot, saying he was not permitted to disclose such information just yet.
“In terms of the Act I cannot disclose that,” Iita said.
KENYA KAMBOWE
Cheda was previously allocated Erf 4035 in Oshakati's Extension 16, which was taken away from Patrick Shilongo.
The decision by the council to take the plot from Shilongo and give it to Cheda led to a 26 April demonstration and petition handover by the Affirmative Reposition (AR) movement.
AR opposed the transaction on the basis that the plot was previously allocated to Shilongo in 2015, and if it was to be taken away from him, it should rather be given to a Namibian in need of a residential erf.
Oshakati has a housing backlog of about 7 000 units.
Namibian Sun was reliably informed by those who attended last Wednesday's council meeting, it was resolved that both Cheda and Shilongo will be allocated new plots and not Erf 4035.
“It was resolved by council that Erf 4035, which was previously allocated to Cheda, will not be given to him because of the objections towards it and also it will not be given back to Shilongo. Council further resolved that different plots will be identified at a later stage and will be allocated to the two,” the source said.
The source expressed disappointment that AR's objections were not considered, in terms of Cheda being a foreigner and that thousands of Namibians remain landless. When contacted for comment, Oshakati council CEO Werner Iita, who attended the meeting, could not confirm or deny whether Cheda will be given another plot, saying he was not permitted to disclose such information just yet.
“In terms of the Act I cannot disclose that,” Iita said.
KENYA KAMBOWE
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