Luqman Cloete
15 May 2008
Windhoek — THE former Mayor of Keetmanshoop, Simon Petrus Tiboth, reclaimed the mayoral chain when he was elected as the Town Council's chairperson during the annual mayoral election held yesterday.
He will take over the seat from Finna Elago, who served in the position for a year.
Since 2004, Tiboth remained in the mayoral seat until last year when Elago dethroned him.
Yesterday cracks of division among majority Swapo Party councillors came to the fore again, as Tiboth was nominated and seconded by opposition party council members.
The Namibian has it on good authority that during a caucus meeting on the eve of the mayoral election, the Swapo representatives agreed to nominate Tiboth as mayor, while they earmarked the management committee chairperson position for Elago.
Republican Party councillor Peter John Visser was lobbied to throw his vote behind the Swapo Party, to secure its candidates key positions on the council, The Namibian was informed.
In return for his backing of the ruling party, Visser would retain the Deputy Mayor position, it was planned, the source said.
However, this did not happen and the CoD's Johannes Coleman was elected to deputise Tiboth, while another CoD councillor, Arnold Losper, was elected as chairperson of the Management Committee.
Moses Titus (DTA) and Basil Brown (Swapo) were elected to the management committee member with Elago (Swapo) as additional member.
Visser is now an ordinary council member.
At the Karasburg and Mariental town councils the status quo remains.
The Mayor of Mariental, Priscilla Beukes, retained her mayoral chain.
She will be deputised by Willem Joseph Mensah, while Lukas Katuanene was re-elected as management committee chairman.
The other management committee members are Anamarie Gorases, Abel Kaifanua and Martinus Kotze.
Johannes Swartbooi remains an ordinary councillor.
The Mayor of Karasburg, Julius Kalopa, was also re-elected and will be deputised by Mathew Mumbala.
Aloysius Amunyela will chair the management committee while Josephine Kapye and Fransiskus Gertze stay on as management committee members.
Elizabeth Noble and Hermine Brand stay on as ordinary council members.
At Luederitz, Emilia Amupewa was re-elected as Mayor with Pescah Mefale as her deputy.
Simon Haidongo was re-elected as management committee chairman.
The other management committee members are Wilhelmina Sylvester, Silas Antonius and Johannes Valombola.
Jeniffer van Den Heever retained her position as ordinary council member.
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