Staff Reporter
THE ruling SWAPO Party is fighting to retain three of its constituencies and reclaim two others from the UDF during the by-elections that will take place next Tuesday.
The by-elections for Kabbe South (Zambezi), Grootfontein and Otjiwarongo (Otjozondjupa), and Kamanjab and Sesfontein (Kunene) became necessary after former councillors vacated their positions and became members of the National Assembly following last year’s general elections.
Kabbe South, Grootfontein, and Otjiwarongo have traditionally elected SWAPO Party councillors, while Kamanjab and Sesfontein have changed hands, at least twice each, between SWAPO and the UDF.
Kabbe South
The constituency was created in 2013, the result of the splitting of the former Kabbe constituency into two.
SWAPO’s John Likando won the elections in 2015 and again in 2020, when he obtained over 90% of the votes.
This time, SWAPO has fielded Raymond Sezuni, who is being challenged by the IPC’s Sydney Mpunga.
Grootfontein
SWAPO’s Nelao Amagulu, who served as Grootfontein constituency councillor from 2015 and was replaced by Elder Filipe during the 2020 regional elections, is making a comeback as SWAPO’s candidate after Filipe was elected to the National Assembly.
Three other parties have fielded candidates: Rosina Nusis (PDM), Max Onesmus (IPC), and Morris Gaingob (UDF).
Kamanjab
The constituency has traditionally voted UDF, but a SWAPO candidate, Angenesia Tjaritje, won in 2015, beating the UDF’s Nico Somaeb.
Somaeb eventually won in 2020, beating SWAPO’s Nicodemus Amutenya.
Somaeb was elected to the National Assembly last year, leaving the constituency councillor’s seat vacant, and Amutenya is, once again, SWAPO’s candidate.
Other candidates are Dansiekie Ganaseb (IPC) and Jacob Namaseb (UDF).
Sesfontein
Although traditionally a UDF-voting constituency, Sesfontein changed hands when SWAPO candidate Julius Kaujova defeated the UDF’s Hendrik Gaobaeb in 2015, but Gaobaeb reclaimed the seat, narrowly beating Kaujova during the 2020 regional elections.
Four candidates are now vying for the constituency councillor’s seat after Gaobaeb was elected to Parliament.
They are Bernardus Hoeb (UDF), Titus Rungondo (SWAPO), Joshua Kaisuma (PDM), and Bennie Ganaseb (IPC).
Otjiwarongo
The constituency is a SWAPO stronghold, whose former councillors include Ferdinand Kavetuna, Otto Ipinge, and the late Julius Neumbo, who died in 2019. Marlyn Mbakera was elected during the subsequent by-election and again during the 2020 regional elections.
Mbakera was elected as a member of the National Assembly last year.
Vying for the vacant position are Ernst Muraranganda (PDM), Paulus Nekundi (SWAPO), Wilbard Haihambo (IPC), and Manase Gabriel (NEFF).
