City coalition holds crisis meeting
15 October 2021 | Local News
JEMIMA BEUKES and OGONE TLHAGE
WINDHOEK
The coalition partners on the City of Windhoek council have hit a brick wall over the recruitment process of a municipality CEO, with the majority party, Independent Patriots for Change (IPC), calling for the process to be restarted.
IPC also wants acting CEO George Mayumbelo to be removed from the position.
Namibian Sun understands the coalition partners had a heated meeting on Monday, with Affirmative Repositioning (AR), the Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) and Nudo blasting IPC for allegedly removing its councillors without consulting the partners.
It is also understood that IPC’s push for Mayumbelo to be removed was blocked.
Nudo secretary-general Jossy Kauandenge, the head of the coalition’s leaders committee, yesterday confirmed Monday’s meeting.
“I called the meeting to discuss - amongst other things - the reasons why IPC restrained their councillors again. The meeting was attended by party leaders and all the parties to the coalition’s councillors,” he told this publication yesterday.
According to Kauandenge, IPC councillors are not happy with the recruitment process of the new CEO and Mayumbelo’s acting stint.
Lack of coordination
Meanwhile, some councillors expressed concern over the lack of coordination and mutual respect.
Insiders said the coalition partners also agreed that in future, internal coalition management processes must be followed to resolve issues before any party restrains its councillors.
While talks are making the rounds that there are plans to rope the Landless People’s Movement (LPM) into the coalition to replace AR, the issue was not discussed at the Monday meeting.
A coalition source told Namibian Sun that a rift exists between IPC and AR, which is hampering the coalition from functioning optimally.
AR spokesperson Simon Amunime said while a meeting had been held on Monday between the City’s ‘Progressive Forces’, it was by no means to discuss the inclusion of LPM into the coalition.
“All I know is we had a meeting on Monday. There was nothing like that,” he said.
According to him, the inclusion or exit of a coalition partner ought to be discussed by all coalition parties and not just between two or three.
“Dynamics and rumours will be there. What is important is the coalition agreement. Coalition doesn’t mean someone can enter and leave,” Amunime said.
Not allergic
LPM spokesperson Eneas Emvula said the party is not “allergic” to forming a coalition with the IPC.
"It’s just that this information that we are going to form a coalition with IPC is unfounded. We are only aware of IPC meeting with councillors to discuss the restraining of their councillors. I am not aware of IPC approaching the LPM to form a coalition,” he said.
Questions sent to IPC leader Dr Panduleni Itula went unanswered.
WINDHOEK
The coalition partners on the City of Windhoek council have hit a brick wall over the recruitment process of a municipality CEO, with the majority party, Independent Patriots for Change (IPC), calling for the process to be restarted.
IPC also wants acting CEO George Mayumbelo to be removed from the position.
Namibian Sun understands the coalition partners had a heated meeting on Monday, with Affirmative Repositioning (AR), the Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) and Nudo blasting IPC for allegedly removing its councillors without consulting the partners.
It is also understood that IPC’s push for Mayumbelo to be removed was blocked.
Nudo secretary-general Jossy Kauandenge, the head of the coalition’s leaders committee, yesterday confirmed Monday’s meeting.
“I called the meeting to discuss - amongst other things - the reasons why IPC restrained their councillors again. The meeting was attended by party leaders and all the parties to the coalition’s councillors,” he told this publication yesterday.
According to Kauandenge, IPC councillors are not happy with the recruitment process of the new CEO and Mayumbelo’s acting stint.
Lack of coordination
Meanwhile, some councillors expressed concern over the lack of coordination and mutual respect.
Insiders said the coalition partners also agreed that in future, internal coalition management processes must be followed to resolve issues before any party restrains its councillors.
While talks are making the rounds that there are plans to rope the Landless People’s Movement (LPM) into the coalition to replace AR, the issue was not discussed at the Monday meeting.
A coalition source told Namibian Sun that a rift exists between IPC and AR, which is hampering the coalition from functioning optimally.
AR spokesperson Simon Amunime said while a meeting had been held on Monday between the City’s ‘Progressive Forces’, it was by no means to discuss the inclusion of LPM into the coalition.
“All I know is we had a meeting on Monday. There was nothing like that,” he said.
According to him, the inclusion or exit of a coalition partner ought to be discussed by all coalition parties and not just between two or three.
“Dynamics and rumours will be there. What is important is the coalition agreement. Coalition doesn’t mean someone can enter and leave,” Amunime said.
Not allergic
LPM spokesperson Eneas Emvula said the party is not “allergic” to forming a coalition with the IPC.
"It’s just that this information that we are going to form a coalition with IPC is unfounded. We are only aware of IPC meeting with councillors to discuss the restraining of their councillors. I am not aware of IPC approaching the LPM to form a coalition,” he said.
Questions sent to IPC leader Dr Panduleni Itula went unanswered.
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