Africa-Press – Namibia. Swapo’s politburo has directed the deployment of its newly elected regional council and local authority councillors, with defiance seen as misconduct.
The party held a politburo meeting on Monday to decide which of its candidates would be appointed as regional council chairpersons, National Council members, mayors, deputy mayors and members of local authority management committees.
The decision was communicated in a letter by secretary general Sophia Shaningwa addressed to the party’s regional coordinators.
“In terms of Rule 49 of the Swapo Party rules and procedures for the election of party office-bearers and party representatives at legislative and government levels, the political bureau or an appropriate party structure is explicitly and unequivocally mandated to direct and take charge of the deployment of all Swapo Party elected representatives,” the letter reads.
Along with this rule, Shaningwa further referred coordinators to the party’s rules 50 and 51, stating that deployment decisions are binding and must be implemented without delay, with defiance classified as misconduct.
In Kavango East, Stephanus Mhangu has been deployed as regional council chairperson. Augusta Katembo, Laurentius Mukoya and Anselma Marungu will serve in the National Council.
At the Rundu Town Council, the party deployed Andreas Jikerwa as mayor, Regina Nakare as deputy mayor, and Robert Kamakende and Fransiska Hausiku to the management committee.
Shaningwa did not respond to questions sent to her yesterday.
The Namibian reached out to find out why the party is overriding the choices of the communities who voted for specific candidates to represent them.
The Rundu Urban Community Association (Ruca) is opposing this directive.
The association’s spokesperson, Haivera Marcellus, says Swapo is undermining democratic practice at local level.
“Ruca strongly opposes the top-down approach style of Swapo. This kind of directive has killed the Kavango regions and the country at large.
Political parties must not mingle in the affairs of elected leaders. Allow them to exercise their rights as per the Local Authorities Act,” he says.
He says threatening councillors not voting according to conscience “is tantamount to criminality by Swapo”, adding that the association may consider legal action.
Political analyst Marius Kudumo says the deployment of councillors must be understood within Namibia’s two election systems.
In the regional council election, the winner takes all, he says, and the local authority election involves proportional representation.
Kudumo says deploying councillors is not a problem in itself if the aim is better governance.
“I do not see any fundamental problem with a political party directing and overseeing the deployment of elected officials if the intentions are to ensure efficient and effective service delivery and not patronage,” he says.
He warns that problems arise when deployment ignores skills and statutory responsibilities.
“The problem arises or comes in when deployment doesn’t take into account competencies, skills, and understanding of the statutory powers, duties and functions of regional councils and local authorities, and therefore, the elected representatives becoming bosses to be worshipped and served instead of servants and representatives of the people who promote the common good of society.”
Kudumo says Namibia faces growing concern over the misuse of public office.
“The emerging concern in Namibia is the dominant culture of using public office for self-interest, instead of rendering efficient and effective public services. Thus, the virtues of humility, integrity, and ethical and moral leadership.”
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