Mukupi threatens govt official

Councillor Felix Mukupi of Sibbinda Constituency

By Clemence Tashaya
AN angry SWAPO Councillor of Sibbinda constituency in the Caprivi region, Felix Mukupi recently went on a shooting rampage threatening to kill a government official, a Geographical Information System Analyst who is employed by the Office of the President in a move that has divided the electorate and supporters in his constituency.
The Office of the President’s official in the National Planning Commission (NPC), Billy Lisulo Mushe who was on a Delimitation Commission assignment in Sibbinda constituency was threatened last month at Njangula bar owned by Mr.Mukupi in Build Together, a location which is in Katima Mulilo town, the capital of Caprivi region. It is alleged that a Delimitation Commission meeting and assignment brought about the quarrel, which was conducted in Sibbinda constituency where Councillor Felix Mukupi is a Councillor and currently campaigning as a SWAPO candidate in the forthcoming Regional and Local Government elections.
Councillor Mukupi was not aware that some officials from the Office of the President were on duty on a demarcation and delimitation commission assignment as instructed by the highest office. This delimitation and demarcation assignment was also for his benefit as a Sibbinda SWAPO party candidate in the forthcoming elections. Since this SWAPO party councillor he did not understand the government’s assignment on demarcation. He assumed and suspected that the official from the President Pohamba’s office was an enemy and belonged to the Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP) hence his charging and unruly threats. Namibia will be holding its Regional and Local government elections on the 26th and 27th November 2010.
Upon arrival at a waterhole after his assignment and where Mushe had been invited by his friends – government colleagues for a weekend drink, the ever-angry threatening Councillor Mukupi threatened the young Mushe by firing four gun shoots in the air, which fortunately missed him. Reliable sources explained that there was commotion at the bar as revellers and patrons ran for cover. When he missed his target, he then followed Mr.Mushe shouting at him using abusive words, which are unprintable for public consumption. After the gun shots, Mr.Mushe managed to retrieve some of the bullet shells which were used at the shooting with the help of a certain off- duty female police officer.
After the gun shots, Councillor Mukupi continued to threaten him with death and threatened that, he will make sure that Lisulo Mushe will be mentally ill or mad (loyiwe in silozi language) by using juju or muti.
Apart from that, Katima Mulilo residents allege that the Councillor is known for publicly threatening voters and other innocent villagers in his constituency who cross his line politically.
Armed with a bullet shell as proof of evidence, Mr.Mushe opened a case at Katima Mulilo police station and a case No: 05/08/2010 was opened but no action was taken on the SWAPO councillor Mr. Mukupi.
The electorate in the Caprivi region especially in Katima Mulilo constituencies are bitter about his unruly behaviour because he is tarnishing the image of the SWAPO party and are questioning some older members of the SWAPO party in the Caprivi region on its manifesto, mandatory and legality on whether it is there to threaten, intimidate and kill the electorate who in turn are the majority voters of the SWAPO party which enjoys mass voter turn out in all Namibian regions during elections.
In an interview with the Caprivi Vision recently, the poor Mushe explained that the grudge did not start when he was on an assignment in Sibbinda Constituency. Rather, Mr. Mukupi started to threaten Mr. Mushe at Bukalo during the Masubia Cultural Festival on 31st July 2010 which was attended by national leaders who include the former President and Founding Father, Dr Sam Nujoma and Namibian President Hifikepunye Pohamba, Diplomats and other Caprivi senior government ministers.
“This is not the first time he has threatened me in front of the public. He came to me when we were at Bukalo for the Masubia festival. I was at a bar with friends and straight he cocked his pistol and pointed it to me in the presence of patrons and accused me of giving land to Masubia people in his constituency. My friends advised me to leave the place and I left peacefully. What does he want from me? I’m the only son in the family since all my parents are deceased. I really wonder,” he questioned
Councillor Mukupi is accusing the officer from the Office of the President of disrespecting him since he is the councillor for Sibbinda constituency. Two weeks after being threatened through death by using juju or other means, in a case which the community alleges it as a result of juju from Councillor Mukupi as he is known and feared for these evil juju acts, Lisulo Mushe was involved in a serious car accident in which a government vehicle, Toyota Land cruiser was extensively damaged. His government official vehicle bumped into a huge tree and left him with a deep scratch on his head.
The Caprivi Vision spoke to the Sibbinda Constituency Councillor and explained that the person “Lisulo Mushe” was fabricating the case and said he only cautioned him since he was insulting and arguing with a Chief of Sibbinda constituency.
“That young boy is lying. He was even drunk and I cautioned him because he was shouting and insulting my Chief “Mamili”. He shouted at me. I told him I’m a SWAPO councillor and I know that the boy is an RDP party member. I don’t know this issue of delimitation/demarcation commission he is referring to. He was even drunk when he came at my bar and continued shouting using abusive words at me in the presence of other people. He is lying because he was drunk,” he explained
The government Geographical Information Systems Analyst insists that the controversial SWAPO councillor fired gunshots at him at the bar.
“The case is supposed to be attempted murder. What if, it was another ordinary person doing this? Police was going to act swiftly and arrest the culprit within five (5) minutes but for him, we are surprised that he is still enjoying and even continuing threatening voters everywhere he goes even in bars. The case is being handled by Chief Inspector Berger “but he is not being arrested because he is a SWAPO party councillor,” fumed Lisulo Mushe
Hon. Felix Mukupi is operating a security company, Njangula Security in the Caprivi region .
Senior reliable sources in the Ministry of Works and Transport revealed to the Caprivi Vision that the damage, which was done to the National Planning Commission (NPC) vehicle, was extensive.
“ Apart from that, we suspect that the guy was drunk because police retrieved many beer bottle tops in the car. The police took all beer samples for their investigations because we suspect that there were in a drunken stoop. We discovered empty Whisky bottles and larger bottles in the car. How can one suspect witchcraft, instead he is witching himself,” explained a senior source in the Ministry of Works and Transport.