The Landless People’s Movement (LPM) wants the immediate removal of the management committee chairperson of the Otjiwarongo Municipality, Godhardt Hoko.

In a letter it issued on Wednesday to the Minister of Urban and Rural Development, Erastus Uutoni, LPM said Hoko should be removed as he was allegedly not seconded to the position at a special council meeting that marked the internal elections of the seven local authority councillors of Otjiwarongo on 02 December 2020.

LPM deputy leader, Henny Seibeb issued the letter and stated that Hoko was only nominated by councillor Hilde Noreses, and not seconded, whereby that nomination form was then forwarded for signature to the town’s mayor, Gottlieb Shivute.

LPM also called on the Executive Director in the ministry, Daniel Nghidinua and Chief Magistrate Philanda Christiaan to investigate and nullify Hoko’s appointment as the chairperson of the management committee of the Otjiwarongo Municipality.

Hoko together with other six councillors were on 02 December sworn in to their positions by magistrate Yvette Fredericks.

The other local authority councillors at Otjiwarongo are Shivute (mayor), Julienda Kampungu as his deputy, Noreses as member of the management committee, Sebetius Guiteb – also a management committee member, while the late Lee-Anne Liebenberg and Dr Maritz Laubscher were additional members.

Shivute, Kampungu, Noreses and Hoko are Swapo members, Guiteb is from LPM, while Liebenberg served the council on the ticket of the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) before her death in July this year. Dr Laubscher is a member of the Popular Democratic Movement (PDM).

Hoko on Thursday told Nampa in an interview that he cannot clearly remember who nominated and seconded him to the position.

Otjiwarongo Municipality Public Relations Officer, Adelheid Shilongo on behalf of the municipality on Thursday said the office of the chief executive officer would during this week issue a media release on the matter.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency