By Risco Lumamezi
Concerned residents of Mafuta some (7) Kilometres away the town of Katima Mulilo, have accused Katima Rural Constituency Councillor Mr. Wardens Simushi for manipulating jobs in appointing SWAPO party members only at the ongoing road construction.
They told Caprivi Vision that Simushi has manipulated the selection and recruitment process by appointing his loyal SWAPO party members at the ongoing construction site of the road connecting Katima town and Mafuta, a peri-urban settlement.
According to Mr. Chris Litokwandambo, a group spokesperson said that Councillor Simushi was taking other people outside Mafuta without the knowledge of the Khuta saying he will not entertain their calls as they did not allow him to conduct his smear and advocacy campaigns at the khuta in the just ended 2020 Regional and Local Authority elections, and has ignored Mafuta traditional authority’s request to meet them at the Khuta to make amicable solutions on the appointments of the road construction workers.
The concerned Mafuta residents have accused the councillor for not cooperating with the Khuta, and for distancing himself in making a unilateral decision in appointing people on political affiliation as members of his party.
“The other man who was taken is the son of the SWAPO party Chairperson of Mafuta plus the other coordinator of SWAPO at Chefuzwe”
He said that in other areas along Luhonono Road were appointed fairly through the Village Development Committees (VDC) and District Indunas.
“Our indunas tried to call him so that they can have a discussion with him to know what is happening with the people of Mafuta and why is he taking people outside Mafuta, he definitely denied, and that evidence we are still having it on the audio, and we decided to go to the governor who told us to go back and come back to him with him and he also denied saying he was in Opuwo, we were told by the governor’s secretary to go back with the councillor” stressed Mr. Litokwandambo
Before construction and during elections they were promises that the first priority will be given to the residents of Mafuta as beneficiaries, but this came as a disappointment to them only two people were picked.
“He told us that he is going to give job to the SWAPO members, how does he know that the people who voted for him are the SWAPO members? because as far as I know the vote is your secrete”
He said they want a yes or no tossing principle instead of calling people over the phone.
However, when approached for feedback Katima Rural Councillor Simushi refuted the allegations that they are not true, and this was done in accordance with his Chief Control Officer and the contractor while he was in Windhoek after identifying 5 residents from Katima Rural and five from Katima Urban.
“I do not normally do things on my own , Ms Mutelo the Chief Control Officer is aware of the residents, there was nothing saying a SWAPO member, when we were campaigning we were campaigning in respective capacities of certain political parties, then once you are elected you are elected to serve each and every person who is in your constituency regardless of political parties even the drought relief food we normally give we do not sideline or talk about SWAPO issues or any given political party because if you’re a councillor or president you become the Councillor , minister and president of each resident of Namibia regardless of political party ”
He said the two others are coming from Namalubi and Liselo.
When asked why his office is interfering in the selection and recruitment process instead of the contractor “we cannot go to the villages because people will come in large number”
“Contractors they go to constituency office to solicit for manpower, then the VDC to nominate people that’s the normal procedure”
He however lashed out the call of appointing people according to yes or no toss, “I will not have time to waste with a personal interest because this is not my first time, I told you we constructed the road from Liselo to Linyanti, Linyanti to Sangwali and Sangwali to Singalamwe, and what is it so special for Mafuta?” He furthers
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