Politburo to Decide Defiant Councillors' Fate

News - National | 2019-02-19
by Sakeus Iikela
The Namibian

SWAPO's politburo will decide whether or not to remove recently sworn-in Rundu and Okahandja town councillors from their positions for defying orders by secretary general Sophia Shaningwa.

Following the rebellion, Shaningwa summoned the councillors to a meeting in Windhoek on Monday.

The Namibian understands that the meeting resolved to maintain the status quo until a final decision is taken by the party's politburo. It is not clear when the politburo will meet over the issue.

Monday's meeting was called after Rundu councillors, who were removed by Shaningwa last week, threatened to take the party to court to challenge their recall.

Shaningwa last week removed three councillors from Rundu for allegedly defying party directives and voting for opposition party leaders at the town council.

Okahandja councillors on Friday also voted against the party's directive after they retained mayor Johannes Hindjou, despite orders to demote him to an ordinary councillor.

The councillors were then called to a meeting yesterday in Windhoek to explain why they had defied Shaningwa's directives.