Stefanus Nashama
The Oshikoto Regional Police Commander, Commissioner Teopoline Kalompo-Nashikaku, has informed police officers who are staying with their children at the Omuthiya Police Village to vacate their lodgings today.
Kalompo-Nashikaku, while replying to members’ request to have an audience with her on the matter, said the police officers’ request could not be entertained and they should vacate the premises as communicated before. The communication went out in March 2022 and early August this year.
“This office regrets to inform you that, your letter dated 07 August 2023 could not be entertained, as police barracks rules remain the same as stipulated in Store Manuel Chapter 5. Members with children in the barracks should vacate on or before 18 August 2023. The inspection will be conducted on 19 August 2023, as clearly indicated in the previous letter. The standing directive by the housing committee stands,” she said.
However, Kalompo-Nashikaku is facing resistance from the Affirmative Repositioning (AR) Movement, which threatened to drag the Oshikoto Police to court over the decision.
AR activist in the Oshikoto Region, Johannes Johannes, has demanded that the police halt the plan while engaging her office and that of the Police Inspector General, Joseph Shikongo.
Johannes cautioned that if Kalompo-Nashikaku fails to heed the call, then the AR will be left with no other choice but to approach the courts in the protection of the junior police officers.
He said the barring of police officers with children from occupying police barracks is apartheid-inherent and should be treated as such, especially in light of Article 16 and Article 14 which provides for justification/fairness and right to family respectively.
“Furthermore, article 10 emphasises that all persons are equal before the law and whereas your top-ranked officers enjoy the luxury of government houses with their families, your office is fishing on the lowly paid junior members with no means of affording monthly rent.
We are perplexed and dumbfounded that as a mother in the echelons of authority and influence, instead of advocating for the revising and updating of these apartheid inherent rules in chapter 5, you are sharpening them to inflict pain on your own. This is not only disappointing and embarrassing but it’s an act of betrayal on your part,” Johannes said.
He added that the AR has noted that Kalompo-Nashikaku refused to accord the concerned members a chance to be heard through their letter dated 07 August 2023, and in line with the audi alteram partem rule, a sign that the regional commander is seemingly acting at the “behest of some caprice” without considering the prejudicial impacts on those facing eviction.
“In light of the above and the foregoing, we are demanding your office to halt the planned eviction immediately, as we seek to engage your office and the Inspector General. Our leadership has compiled a team to meet you on Saturday 19th of August 2022 at 10 o’clock to provide direction on the matter. It is not our wish to seek redress through other avenues, but should your office persist with the status quo, we will have no other options but to approach the courts in protection of our mothers who only have the AR movement as their voice,”
Kalompo-Nashikaku acknowledged receiving the AR’s letter when contacted yesterday but refused to give more details, and only said she is busy compiling something for the media.
