Katima mulilo: The official opposition party in Parliament, the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC), has condemned the removal of seven Katima Mulilo Town Council (KMTC) councillors by Urban and Rural Development Minister, James Sankwasa.
According to Namibia Press Agency, a government gazette notice dated 15 August 2025, seen by this news agency on Tuesday, states that Sankwasa used the powers vested in him under section 92 (2) of the Local Authorities Act of 1992 (Act No. 23 of 1992) to dismiss the KMTC councillors with effect from the date of publication.
In a media statement on Tuesday, IPC stated that the actions taken by Sankwasa are a direct conflict with the Constitution and a clear abuse of power that undermines the rule of law. ‘Replacing elected officials with unilateral executive overreach mirrors tactics used to suppress dissent in other African countries, where governments weaponise laws to sideline the opposition,’ stated IPC.
IPC further condemned what Sankwasa did, saying it was to ‘usurp’ the will of the people who elected the council members to represent their interests, thereby setting a dangerous precedent for political interference in local government. It threatens Namibia’s democracy, IPC added.
‘The IPC acknowledges that the minister may be frustrated with the behaviour of some councillors, but such frustrations do not justify dismantling a democratic institution. Furthermore, this action should not be used as a political ploy ahead of the Regional Council and Local Authority elections in November. Namibia is not a dictatorship; elected leaders cannot be ousted without due process,’ the statement said.
IPC is of the view that if the council’s conduct was unlawful or corrupt, the appropriate course of action would have been to invoke Section 43 of the Anti-Corruption Act. ‘Instead, the minister, an unelected official, has acted unfairly and unreasonably without providing justification for his actions to the Namibian people, the true sovereign,’ it said.
The party similarly urged all Namibians to defend constitutional democracy at all times. In July, Sankwasa had given an ultimatum to the KMTC to rectify alleged governance and management irregularities or face consequences.
The axed councillors are mayor John Ntemwa of Swapo, deputy mayor Lascan Sikosi of PDM, chairperson of the management committee Namangolwa Mapenzi of Swapo, management committee member Lister Shamalaza of Swapo and Christina Simanga of Swapo. Others are ordinary members Simasiku Mukendwa of NDP and Charles Musialike of IPC.