Swapo grapples with Oshakati recalls
The ruling party's regional leadership in Oshana has scheduled a series of meetings to resolve the standoff between the party SG and Oshakati town councillors.
Swapo's Oshana leadership met yesterday with the party's recalled Oshakati town councillors in order to find out why secretary-general Sophia Shaningwa's directive had been ignored.
Swapo Oshana regional coordinator Samuel Nelongo told Namibian Sun that prior to the meeting they had met with the recalled councillors in order to resolve the situation amicably.
“We are busy trying to solve this problem. This is part of the party's investigation into what actually transpired at the swearing-in ceremony, where the directive was defied,” Nelongo said.
He said yesterday's meeting would be followed by another gathering that is expected to take place today with the Oshakati East and Oshakati West district party leadership.
He said that Swapo's Oshana regional executive committee (REC) would then meet tomorrow to draft a final proposal that would be forwarded to Shaningwa's office.
Hopefully by Thursday, the Oshakati town council CEO would receive the party's decision on what would happen to the recalled councillors.
When asked whether it was likely that the recalled councillors would be reinstated, Nelongo said anything was possible and that that would be determined by the meetings.
“There is a possibility that we might take a decision to return them or a decision to replace them,” Nelongo said.
Shaningwa's directive was that Gabriel Kamwanka, who served as chairperson of the Oshakati town council management committee for seven years, be replaced by Onesmus Shilunga, who recently rejoined the council.
However, about three weeks ago during the election and swearing-in ceremony, former mayor Katrina Shimbulu was nominated and sworn in as the new chairperson of the management committee.
Namibian Sun was reliably informed that Shimbulu's nomination shocked everyone, because after Loise Shivolo nominated her, the nomination was not seconded, as is the norm.
This move resulted in all the councillors being recalled.
Asked whether the Swapo SG had the power to recall councillors, Nelongo said if councillors had a problem with a directive, they should communicate that to the SG.
Last week Shaningwa told New Era that the recalls were constitutional.
KENYA KAMBOWE
Swapo Oshana regional coordinator Samuel Nelongo told Namibian Sun that prior to the meeting they had met with the recalled councillors in order to resolve the situation amicably.
“We are busy trying to solve this problem. This is part of the party's investigation into what actually transpired at the swearing-in ceremony, where the directive was defied,” Nelongo said.
He said yesterday's meeting would be followed by another gathering that is expected to take place today with the Oshakati East and Oshakati West district party leadership.
He said that Swapo's Oshana regional executive committee (REC) would then meet tomorrow to draft a final proposal that would be forwarded to Shaningwa's office.
Hopefully by Thursday, the Oshakati town council CEO would receive the party's decision on what would happen to the recalled councillors.
When asked whether it was likely that the recalled councillors would be reinstated, Nelongo said anything was possible and that that would be determined by the meetings.
“There is a possibility that we might take a decision to return them or a decision to replace them,” Nelongo said.
Shaningwa's directive was that Gabriel Kamwanka, who served as chairperson of the Oshakati town council management committee for seven years, be replaced by Onesmus Shilunga, who recently rejoined the council.
However, about three weeks ago during the election and swearing-in ceremony, former mayor Katrina Shimbulu was nominated and sworn in as the new chairperson of the management committee.
Namibian Sun was reliably informed that Shimbulu's nomination shocked everyone, because after Loise Shivolo nominated her, the nomination was not seconded, as is the norm.
This move resulted in all the councillors being recalled.
Asked whether the Swapo SG had the power to recall councillors, Nelongo said if councillors had a problem with a directive, they should communicate that to the SG.
Last week Shaningwa told New Era that the recalls were constitutional.
KENYA KAMBOWE
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