Mayor calls for Namoloh's head
Omaruru’s suspended town council has called upon President-elect Hage Geingob to boot out incumbent Minister of Regional and Local Government Charles Namoloh.
The town’s mayor, Vincent Kahua, said Namoloh’s decision to suspend the town council was purely political.
“Rehoboth is ruled by Swapo, why are they not fired? Why can he not investigate or fire the Okahandja town council?” Kahua said on Monday.
He accused the minister of attending to petty issues instead of addressing burning issues such as land grabbing, unlawful demolition of shacks and the mass housing project.
Kahua, who represents Nudo on the council, said Namoloh undermined the council’s authority by intervening in local authority affairs.
“Honourable minister threatened local elected leaders elected by local people who empowered them to take decisions,” said Kahua.
He added that the political undermining started with former Local Government Minister Jerry Ekandjo, who had said the appointment of the town’s former CEO, Paul Ganaseb, was illegal.
Omaruru’s deputy mayor, Albertus !Naruseb, echoed Kahua’s sentiments, saying: “Swapo councillors are not in majority, that is why they are ruling Omaruru.
“A source close to a Swapo councillor has informed me that these Swapo councillors are getting their allowances from Swapo while on suspension and they are happy.
!Naruseb added that the results of a forensic audit at the Omaruru town council ordered by the minister were not released because no damning evidence could be found.
According to !Naruseb the forensic audit report was released by PriceWaterhouseCoopers in September last year.
He accused the minister of favouritism, saying, “Let me tell you the truth, he will never take action against these towns (Rehoboth and Okahandja) because they are ruled by Swapo.”
Namoloh last week told reporters that he had sent investigators back to Omaruru because he was not happy with the results.
!Naruseb also criticised the minister for not acting on a petition by residents on November 19 last year that called for the reinstatement of the council.
“The minister does not care about the demands by the community,” he said.
WINDHOEK JEMIMA BEUKES
Comments
Namibian Sun
No comments have been left on this article