Allexer Namundjembo
The Otjozondjupa governor, John Khamuseb, has been accused of interfering in Okahandja Municipality’s land allocation activities.
The accusation was made by Okahandja deputy mayor Asser Aupindi in a letter to Khamuseb last week.
In the letter seen by the Windhoek Observer, Aupindi alleged that Khamuseb personally contacted the municipality’s chief executive officer and instructed him to halt all land allocation activities within the town’s jurisdiction.
“Such interference is not only unwarranted but also hampers the efforts to ensure service delivery to the residents,” the letter reads. “Taking into consideration that you were not elected.”
The letter stressed that municipal powers should remain with Okahandja’s elected leaders.
“We request that your office refrain from entering directly or indirectly into the municipality’s land matters to ensure fairness,” it stated.
Aupindi further wrote that Khamuseb had told the chief executive officer he acted on concerns raised by a group unhappy with how the municipality was handling land allocations.
“I must set the record straight that the Okahandja municipality council does not report to you nor to your office,” Aupindi added.
Okahandja community activist Paulus Shimooshili said he was not surprised by the governor’s actions.
“People who have never been in communities will not understand the struggle,” he said.
Speaking to the Windhoek Observer, Shimooshili said the governor’s decision was based on two irregularities but argued it was not his role to intervene.
“The residents have used the little we have to accommodate the process and the reallocation of shacks, who is going to pay for that?” he asked.
He added that the move would deny residents decent access to housing and sanitation.
Efforts to obtain comment from Khamuseb through his personal assistant were unsuccessful.
The Windhoek Observer sought to confirm whether the governor had interfered in Okahandja’s land allocation.
