Africa-Press – Namibia. THE Swapo district executive committee at Grootfontein has requested party president Hage Geingob to appoint a commission of inquiry to investigate the “undisclosed interest” and “affairs” of party secretary general Sophia Shaningwa in their district.
According to a letter by Grootfontein district coordinator John Haimbodi addressed to Geingob on 2 December 2021, Shaningwa’s political affairs and activities are secret and warrant charges of misconduct in compliance with the prevailing legal instruments governing the party. Haimbodi in his letter said the Grootfontein district has lost confidence in both Shaningwa and Otjozondjupa regional coordinator Susana Hikopua.
“It’s evident enough that the secretary general of the Swapo party and the regional coordinator are heavily conflicted in Grootfontein district and municipal council affairs, and thus cannot apply their minds fairly and transparently for the benefit of the majority of Swapo members,” he said.
The letter came two days after the district executive committee held an internal Grootfontein municipal council election. The election took place after Shaningwa wrote a letter to Hikopua on 25 November, saying the composition of the council should remain the same, keeping Garises as mayor.
This did not sit well with some members of the district executive committee, which resulted in the election. A total of 34 Swapo district executive committee members participated in the election to vote for the mayor.
Former mayor Lovisa Iyambo gained 20 votes, while her fellow councillor, Talitha Garises, received 14 votes for the mayoral position. Although Garises allegedly accepted defeat that day, she later reportedly demanded that she be the mayor of the town.
In his letter, Haimbodi accused Garises of involving herself in clandestine activities that warrant disciplinary action. He claimed that Garises has made herself guilty of refusing to accept the outcome of the democratic and transparent processes for the deployment of office bearers of Grootfontein’s district executive committee.
He also accused her of conniving with opposition parties to sabotage the democratic processes and undermine the district executive committee’s power, as well as making tribal comments on the Namibia Broadcasting Corporation’s Kaisames radio service.
Garises is one of six Swapo members of the Grootfontein district executive committee who were suspended from the party last month. Others were Fastudu Malwa, Anna Uchurus, Susan Swartz, and Innocent Madonsa.
At the time, Haimbodi said they were suspended for engaging in criminal activities in the district which were aimed at destroying the party. Haimbodi declined to comment on his letter to Geingob, saying he was not permitted to do so by the district executive committee.
He said he has not received a response from the president. Shaningwa on Wednesday said: “I welcome the investigations. Let it come today already, because I don’t have any interest in that council.”
Garises said the allegations against her in the letter to Geingob are “total lies”. Presidential spokesperson Alfredo Hengari said: “The letter was only received yesterday. It is receiving the attention of the president.”
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