Mushelenga warns structureless councils
In the wake of some local authorities having failed to elect and swear in office-bearers, urban and rural development minister Peya Mushelenga says the ministry is monitoring the situation.
Mushelenga was responding to queries about the current developments at the Rundu town council where the swearing-in ceremony for office-bearers has not taken place, affecting service delivery at the riverside town.
He pointed out that not only the Rundu is faced with this issue and the ministry is observing all local authorities in the same boat, stressing that action will be taken.
Other local authorities with incomplete structures include the Okahandja municipality, which has not yet sworn in its office-bearers, while the Oshakati town council is yet to swear in members of its management committee after the initial ceremony was marred by controversy.
“For all local authorities that do not have structures in place, the act is very clear and the law will be put in place,” Mushelenga said briefly.
Last year, the minister had to intervene in a debacle involving the Rundu town council after service delivery at the town was halted because of an incomplete management committee.
At the time, the minister said if Rundu failed to comply, he would invoke the provisions in Section 92 of the Local Authorities Act, which can be used to remove or suspend local authority councillors if they fail to comply, as well as appoint any other person before an election.
A management committee at a local authority serves as a key body that deals with making recommendations to the council for resolutions to be taken. The absence of a management committee results in decision-making being placed in the hands of the accounting officer, and in the case of the Rundu town council which is yet to appoint a substantive CEO, the situation is dire. However, the delay in swearing-in office-bearers is not new to Rundu, as December 2018 seems to be repeating itself.
At the time, the issue was about three Swapo councillors - Isak Kandingu, Anastacia Shinduvi-Foya and Toini Hausiku - defying a party directive regarding who should occupy which position.
This time around the fight is between the Swapo Rundu urban district executive committee and the trio, who have been recalled because they have not provided the district leadership with a progress report.
Rundu urban district executive committee coordinator Gabriel Hakusembe is at the centre of this fight.
On 11 December 2019, during a scheduled swearing-in ceremony, Hakusembe interjected, successfully demanding that the process be halted. A letter war has raged since, with Hakusembe writing to acting Rundu CEO Matheus Naironga, and Kandingu threatening the Swapo district committee.
The last communication by Hakusembe is a letter to Naironga dated 16 January, informing him about the recall of the trio, and their replacement by Serafine Mandjoro, Johaness Ngondo and Romanus Munika.
When contacted for comment, Naironga confirmed having received the letter. He, however, indicated that based on ongoing developments, the local authority will wait for a communication that will bring peace and no objections.
Meanwhile, Kandingu, Hausiku and Shinduvi-Foya have written a letter of complaint against the committee, denouncing their recall and bemoaning Hakusembe's conduct. When contacted for comment, Hakusembe described the letter as unlawful.
“The letter of complaint is unlawful, but the recall of the councillors was done lawfully,” he said.
Namibian Sun understands a Swapo Kavango East regional executive committee meeting is scheduled for this Saturday to address the issue.
KENYA KAMBOWE
Mushelenga was responding to queries about the current developments at the Rundu town council where the swearing-in ceremony for office-bearers has not taken place, affecting service delivery at the riverside town.
He pointed out that not only the Rundu is faced with this issue and the ministry is observing all local authorities in the same boat, stressing that action will be taken.
Other local authorities with incomplete structures include the Okahandja municipality, which has not yet sworn in its office-bearers, while the Oshakati town council is yet to swear in members of its management committee after the initial ceremony was marred by controversy.
“For all local authorities that do not have structures in place, the act is very clear and the law will be put in place,” Mushelenga said briefly.
Last year, the minister had to intervene in a debacle involving the Rundu town council after service delivery at the town was halted because of an incomplete management committee.
At the time, the minister said if Rundu failed to comply, he would invoke the provisions in Section 92 of the Local Authorities Act, which can be used to remove or suspend local authority councillors if they fail to comply, as well as appoint any other person before an election.
A management committee at a local authority serves as a key body that deals with making recommendations to the council for resolutions to be taken. The absence of a management committee results in decision-making being placed in the hands of the accounting officer, and in the case of the Rundu town council which is yet to appoint a substantive CEO, the situation is dire. However, the delay in swearing-in office-bearers is not new to Rundu, as December 2018 seems to be repeating itself.
At the time, the issue was about three Swapo councillors - Isak Kandingu, Anastacia Shinduvi-Foya and Toini Hausiku - defying a party directive regarding who should occupy which position.
This time around the fight is between the Swapo Rundu urban district executive committee and the trio, who have been recalled because they have not provided the district leadership with a progress report.
Rundu urban district executive committee coordinator Gabriel Hakusembe is at the centre of this fight.
On 11 December 2019, during a scheduled swearing-in ceremony, Hakusembe interjected, successfully demanding that the process be halted. A letter war has raged since, with Hakusembe writing to acting Rundu CEO Matheus Naironga, and Kandingu threatening the Swapo district committee.
The last communication by Hakusembe is a letter to Naironga dated 16 January, informing him about the recall of the trio, and their replacement by Serafine Mandjoro, Johaness Ngondo and Romanus Munika.
When contacted for comment, Naironga confirmed having received the letter. He, however, indicated that based on ongoing developments, the local authority will wait for a communication that will bring peace and no objections.
Meanwhile, Kandingu, Hausiku and Shinduvi-Foya have written a letter of complaint against the committee, denouncing their recall and bemoaning Hakusembe's conduct. When contacted for comment, Hakusembe described the letter as unlawful.
“The letter of complaint is unlawful, but the recall of the councillors was done lawfully,” he said.
Namibian Sun understands a Swapo Kavango East regional executive committee meeting is scheduled for this Saturday to address the issue.
KENYA KAMBOWE
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