Windhoek Mayor Agnes Mpingana Kafula and all her fellow members on the City Council’s management committee have been re-elected to their positions.
Kafula, Deputy Mayor Muesee Kazapua, as well as councillors Moses Shiikwa, Mwadhina Veico, Elaine Trepper, John Moonde and Fransina Kahungu, will all continue to serve the City next year after their re-election yesterday.
In terms of the law, a local authority council serves for a five-year term, while members of the management committee are elected every year.
The current council took office in December 2009 and in November last year management committee members for this year were elected, with Kafula chosen as mayor and Kazapua as her deputy.
The management committee is a subcommittee of the council which ensures that the decisions of the council are carried out.
It consists of five nominated councillors, with the mayor and deputy mayor as ex-officio members with no voting rights.
After yesterday’s election, Kafula expressed her gratitude to her colleagues.
“I accept this task today with an abiding faith in the future of the City of Windhoek and this faith gives me courage to face the uncertainties of the future of local government in general and Windhoek in particular. “In nurturing unity of purpose, I want to express my willingness to work together with all political parties represented in the council, our diverse communities and developmental stakeholders, as this will enable us to find workable solutions for the diverse range of developmental challenges facing Windhoek, as we move toward our vision of enhancing the quality of life of all our people.”
She said none of her colleagues underestimate the enormous developmental challenges facing Windhoek - in particular, rapid urbanisation, land delivery, the shortage of housing and the ever-increasing percentage of households who cannot afford to pay, but depend on municipal services for a better quality of life.
“We are mindful of these challenges and will continue to forge ahead with our programmes on poverty reduction and sustainable development. Notwithstanding the many challenges, the City in collaboration with the central government is working around the clock to a better housing for all and this has been evident in the recently launched mass housing development by President Hifikepunye Pohamba, aimed at alleviating the acute housing backlog, not only in Windhoek but the country as a whole,” Kafula added.
WINDHOEK NAMENE HELMICH
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