Opuwo's Tjiuma retains position

Opuwo's Tjiuma retains positionSaid to have governor''s support for office To the dismay of several councillors, there has been no change of power at Opuwo, with the entire council maintaining their positions. Opuwo mayor Albert Tjiuma is believed to have gained political support from the governor of the Kunene Region, Angelika Muharukua, who, had asked Opuwo residents during her state of the region address to support the new office bearers.

The Opuwo town council re-elected all its office-bearers yesterday. Political sources at the town say some changes in councillors'' portfolios had been expected.

Tjiuma''s first term as mayor was marred by several challenges emanating from the Opuwo Community Concerned Group. The group took to the streets on 10 June, airing their dissatisfaction with the town''s CEO, whom they accused of having held back development for the past decade. The group demanded that the councillors not renew the CEO''s contract when it expired on 30 October.

Then, Tjiuma made headlines when he was accused by fellow councillors of conniving with the town''s CEO to advertise the position without a full council resolution.

In July the council meeting decided to wait until Alfons Tjitombo''s term of office ended on 30 October and to appoint an acting CEO. That person would have advertised the position and facilitated the recruitment process.

In September, councillors were surprised when they read in a newspaper that Tjiuma had gone ahead to advertised the position with a closing date of 12 October, 18 days before Tjitombo''s contract would come to an end.

According to councillors, that showed that Tjiuma wanted to make sure Tjitombo retained the position.

After this was reported by Namibian Sun, officials of the Urban and Rural Development Ministry instructed the town council to follow the correct procedures in filling the executive position.

The position was then re-advertised at the beginning of November and the closing date for applications was 2 December.

Alleged efforts both by Tjiuma and Muharukua to give Tjitombo another chance failed. This came after a council meeting in August where the majority of Opuwo councillors voted not to automatically renew the CEO''s contract.

Namibian Sun also exposed that Muharukua had allegedly tried to lobby the town councillors to automatically renew Tjitombo''s contract, but only the mayor and deputy mayor supported it. When his contract ended in October, the town appointed the head of the council''s maintenance department, Abel Katjoho, as acting CEO to facilitate the new CEO''s recruitment.

The Opuwo councillors are: mayor Albert Tjiuma, deputy mayor Elise Hihanguapo, chairperson of the management committee Richard Tjazapi, members of the management committee Wilhimina Nashua and Kunovandu Hepute, and ordinary councillors Stanley Kazombaruru and Kamutuua Tjeundo.



ILENI NANDJATO