By Chimine Chimine
A group of Katima Mulilo residents held a peaceful demonstration on Wednesday, demanding for the removal of Katima Mulilo Town Council’s Chief Executive Officer, Local Authority Councillors and the closure of Redforce Debt Collector office in Katima.
The angry residents took to the streets of Katima Mulilo with charting songs and placards portraying their deepest concerns of poor service delivery by KMTC.
In their petition letter addressed to KMTC CEO, Mr. Raphael Liswaniso and Zambezi Regional Governor, Lawrence Sampofu which was read by Mr. Alex Limbo stressed that “Letters had been written complaining about the issues affecting the residents of Katima Mulilo, but no measures were taken. When was Choto, Cowboy, Makaravani east and west, Butterfly, Mahohoma to mention a few declared to be locations? But up to now no proper services were rendered. No Taxi driver will be willing to enter these locations during rainy season due to the bad conditions of roads”.
The petition added that they are no consultative development meetings with the residents which were conducted by Katima Council.
“We have known Boma Location as one of the updated locations, but this is history under the current town council, but instead corrupt decisions are made for us, whereby our voices are not heard regardless of complaints through our local radio and letters from suburbs. The only progress we see is the Town Council’s fancy cars, when it comes to progress, they mock us with empty promises. When we push our CEO about progress, he gets aggressive and says town is not for poor people, but yet he allocates land to people with money.”
They have also expressed concerns about their participatory democracy with the local government, that their ideas are not incorporated for the development and better basic quality services to all people.
“Is this the meaning of democracy that only people in power should make decisions?
Secondly, once we put them in power our votes no more count and who do they want to work for? Why should we be viewed as enemies when we simply ask for progress?”
The petition further demanded for the removal of the Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Liswaniso for poor service delivery and for the recalling of all seven (7) Councillors of the Katima Mulilo with immediate effect for implementations of new changes.
“Therefore, we are hereby demanding the removal of corrupt CEO together with his Councillors through this petition to implement change to our challenges as soon as possible.”
Redforce Debt Management CC, which was contracted by KMTC in 2022 to collect revenues on behalf of Katima Mulilo Town Council for the next five years was also warned to shut down their office in Katima Mulilo due to unprecedented 15 percent interest charge on the monthly bills of every resident owing the Katima Council.
“Moreover, the final issue is that we mightily demand the closure of the Red Force Office in our town within seven working days.
Furthermore, we would like to promise you that, if our demands will be ignored, there will be no voting in our region until we are regarded as Namibians who have rights.
Your quick action will be crucial in bringing about change and ensure that Katima Mulilo residents are treated fairly and with dignity.
We the undersigned, believe that if the corrupt and aggressive for nothing CEO and Councillors who are only submissive to him but not people who put them in power are removed and Redforce office is closed, all the mentioned challenges will be minimised. We would go a long way towards addressing this issue and improving the lives of those affected by the same issues. We ask that you consider our petition and take immediate action to make a positive change.”
However, Katima Mulilo Town Mayor, Hon. Lister Shamalaza who received the petition on behalf of the Katima Mulilo Town Council told the demonstrators that his council will convene the meeting to deliberate on the matter, thereafter the response will be channeled through the committee of the demonstrators.
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