Africa-Press – Namibia.
The Landless People’s Movement (LPM) has distanced itself from the financial turmoil at the Municipality of Keetmanshoop.
They maintained they inherited the mess from Swapo.
LPM said the current rulers of the local authority should not shoulder blame for things that happened long before its councillors set foot in the council chambers.
At the heart of the storm is the N$77 million loss recorded at the municipality during the 2020/2021 financial year.
The party’s position was passionately ventilated by operative secretary Dawid Eigub.
“The books show a deep wound, but let us interrogate who inflicted it. The audit report covering the financial years ending 30 June 2020 and 2021 is clear that our democratically elected councillors are not implicated.
“How could they be? They only took office after the November 2020 elections and were sworn in early 2021. By then, the damage had already been done by those who held these positions under a different political order,” Eigub vindicated their members.
Auditor General Junias Kandjeke said the municipality recorded losses amounting to N$77.4 million in 2021 and N$68.3 million in 2020.
While acknowledging the accuracy of these figures, Eigub stressed the importance of context.
“An accumulated loss reflects historical operational deficits, chronic underfunding and years of socio-economic neglect. When our councillors assumed office, they inherited a fiscally toxic environment, one shaped by mismanagement and deliberate underinvestment. This was not a mere bookkeeping error but the outcome of a political economy that treats public services as liabilities rather than fundamental rights,” he argued.
Sharing similar sentiments, City of Windhoek councillor and fellow LPM member Ivan Skrywer said Keetmanshoop’s situation is not unique.
He noted that local authorities across Namibia face similar financial burdens.
“These accumulated losses are not accidental. They are the by-product of an economy rigged against the working poor and a taxation system that favours capital over communities,” the outspoken Skrywer said.
Regarding Keetmanshoop, he stated that “accumulated losses don’t emerge in a vacuum. They are rooted in decades of austerity, neoliberal economic policies and chronic underfunding. Instead of blaming those trying to clean up the mess, let’s focus our outrage on the decisions and policies that caused it”.
Mumbala fires back
Reacting to LPM, the Swapo coordinator in //Kharas Mathew Mumbala said LPM must get out of the proverbial kitchen if they cannot cope with the heat.
He accused LPM of using populist tactics and shifting blame to cover up their own failures in the south.
“They’re starting with poor political tactics, blackmailing others instead of taking responsibility. When you enter a house, you must assess what’s there, what’s needed and what must be fixed. Why didn’t they take those issues to trial back then?” Mumbala questioned.
He dismissed LPM’s claim that they inherited a “dirty” administration, saying the party should instead account for its own actions.
“They keep repeating ‘dirty, dirty, dirty,’ but it’s their own mess. They must be held accountable, especially for corrupting the company managing electricity in Keetmanshoop, which used to run efficiently. Now, the money is being used for other things like travelling allowances and entertainment,” he added.
He claimed that the municipality has been misusing funds initially allocated for electricity management and redirecting it to pay salaries in other departments.
Mumbala further alleged that LPM has destabilised the local authority, firing several councillors and staff members due to financial struggles.
“Ask them how many local councillors they have fired in Keetmanshoop? How many municipal staff lost their jobs because the council was broke? What about Jackie? She damaged four municipal vehicles and used one to travel without permission to Otjiwarongo and Okahandja. Isn’t that corruption?” Mumbala asked.
He said LPM’s recent claims of building houses and writing off debts are part of an election campaign, not genuine development initiatives.
“They say they built houses and wrote off debts, but that’s just part of their campaign strategy. Let’s be clear: those houses were not funded from municipal revenue. They were financed by the central government. And who were the contractors? Their own connections,” he charged.
For More News And Analysis About Namibia Follow Africa-Press
