Oshakati denies corruption claims
The Oshakati town council has denied accusations that there was corruption in the allocation of residential and business plots at the town.
KENYA KAMBOWE
In response to corruption claims over the manner in which prominent people acquire plots at Oshakati, the town’s acting CEO, Kornelius Kapolo, said there was no law stipulating who should get a plot.
Kapolo was speaking at media briefing on Tuesday where he told reporters that there was no corruption in the allocation of residential and business plots in Oshakati.
The briefing was called after council documents were leaked and circulated on social media platforms. According to the documents, the council’s management committee chairperson, Gabriel Kamwanka, finance manager Damian Hamunyela, infrastructure and technical services director Lucas Amushembe and Oshana governor Clemens Kashuupulwa were granted plots.
The four in question, save the governor, were all present at meetings where their plots were discussed.
According to the claims, the four acquired the plots because of their social standing and influence over those who have decision-making powers in the council.
Council documents show that Kashuupulwa applied for a residential plot for the construction of flats on 9 April 2014. He was allocated plot 861, measuring 4 167 square metres, at Ekuku Extension 2 at a price of N$375 030 on 30 November this year.
Kamwanka applied for a business plot on 10 February 2014 and was allocated plot 107, measuring 8 703 square metres, at Ehenye North at a price of N$957 330.
Hamunyela, who previously sold a plot he had received from the council, was allocated another plot, Erf 1630, measuring 870 square metresm at Oshakati Extension 3 at a price of N$69 600.
Amushembe was allocated Erf 1 272, measuring 2 663 square metres, at Ekuku Extention 4 for the construction of a shopping complex at a price of N$292 930.
At Tuesday’s briefing, Kapolo dismissed claims of corruption in the council, saying that the four had followed procedure in applying for plots.
When pushed further, he became evasive and told the media that he did “not have the answers at the moment”.
He questioned why people were targeting the four, saying that they deserved plots just like any other Namibian.
“They are also Namibians and there is no law that says they cannot apply for land,” Kapolo said.
“The procedure Oshakati uses is not unique. Applications are available at the front office and you should just fill them in and attach the necessary documents,” Kapolo added.
Questions are being asked as to why Kamwanka, Hamunyela and Amushembe were present when their plots were discussed.
Kapolo said when those matters were discussed the three had to excuse themselves from the meeting.
However, the documents and minutes show otherwise.
“Council strictly works with the declaration of a conflict of interest whereby in all meetings, any person who is on point of discussion is asked to excuse themselves from the meeting to avoid any conflicts,” Kapolo said.
Documents seen by this newspaper show that by late last year and this year, Kamwanka was the chairperson of the land committee, but Kapolo insisted that CEO Werner Iita chaired the committee in question for the period 2016 to 2019.
When asked when Kamwanka’s term as chairperson had ended, Kapolo - who is part of the new land committee - said he did not know. All he could say was that Iita was elected as the new chairperson.
The duties of the land committee are to address all matters concerning land, the allocation of plots, both business and residential, and recommend them to the management committee.
In response to corruption claims over the manner in which prominent people acquire plots at Oshakati, the town’s acting CEO, Kornelius Kapolo, said there was no law stipulating who should get a plot.
Kapolo was speaking at media briefing on Tuesday where he told reporters that there was no corruption in the allocation of residential and business plots in Oshakati.
The briefing was called after council documents were leaked and circulated on social media platforms. According to the documents, the council’s management committee chairperson, Gabriel Kamwanka, finance manager Damian Hamunyela, infrastructure and technical services director Lucas Amushembe and Oshana governor Clemens Kashuupulwa were granted plots.
The four in question, save the governor, were all present at meetings where their plots were discussed.
According to the claims, the four acquired the plots because of their social standing and influence over those who have decision-making powers in the council.
Council documents show that Kashuupulwa applied for a residential plot for the construction of flats on 9 April 2014. He was allocated plot 861, measuring 4 167 square metres, at Ekuku Extension 2 at a price of N$375 030 on 30 November this year.
Kamwanka applied for a business plot on 10 February 2014 and was allocated plot 107, measuring 8 703 square metres, at Ehenye North at a price of N$957 330.
Hamunyela, who previously sold a plot he had received from the council, was allocated another plot, Erf 1630, measuring 870 square metresm at Oshakati Extension 3 at a price of N$69 600.
Amushembe was allocated Erf 1 272, measuring 2 663 square metres, at Ekuku Extention 4 for the construction of a shopping complex at a price of N$292 930.
At Tuesday’s briefing, Kapolo dismissed claims of corruption in the council, saying that the four had followed procedure in applying for plots.
When pushed further, he became evasive and told the media that he did “not have the answers at the moment”.
He questioned why people were targeting the four, saying that they deserved plots just like any other Namibian.
“They are also Namibians and there is no law that says they cannot apply for land,” Kapolo said.
“The procedure Oshakati uses is not unique. Applications are available at the front office and you should just fill them in and attach the necessary documents,” Kapolo added.
Questions are being asked as to why Kamwanka, Hamunyela and Amushembe were present when their plots were discussed.
Kapolo said when those matters were discussed the three had to excuse themselves from the meeting.
However, the documents and minutes show otherwise.
“Council strictly works with the declaration of a conflict of interest whereby in all meetings, any person who is on point of discussion is asked to excuse themselves from the meeting to avoid any conflicts,” Kapolo said.
Documents seen by this newspaper show that by late last year and this year, Kamwanka was the chairperson of the land committee, but Kapolo insisted that CEO Werner Iita chaired the committee in question for the period 2016 to 2019.
When asked when Kamwanka’s term as chairperson had ended, Kapolo - who is part of the new land committee - said he did not know. All he could say was that Iita was elected as the new chairperson.
The duties of the land committee are to address all matters concerning land, the allocation of plots, both business and residential, and recommend them to the management committee.
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