Maria Hamutenya
Former Mariental town councillors, Daniel Gariseb and Rogetta Haak, have snubbed a request from the Landless People’s Movement (LPM) to meet and discuss, demanding only the withdrawal of the party decision.
The two were recalled by the opposition party from the Mariental town council for allegedly colluding with the ruling Swapo party.
The LPM, through their lawyers, Dr Weder, Kauta & Hoveka Inc, wrote to the former councillor’s lawyer, Richard Metcalfe, requesting their availability and willingness to meet on Wednesday.
In response, the request was turned down by the recalled councillors, stating in their letter that they will only be willing to meet once the party has reversed its decision to recall them
“Once such notice is received, our clients will be willing to meet in order to resolve any perceived problems to ensure amicable relations prevail,” said Metcalfe.
“Should such notice of withdrawal of illegal removal of our clients not be received by 10h00 on 10 March 2021, the matter proceeds to review in the High Court of Namibia. All our clients’ rights are reserved,” Metcalfe concluded.
Metcalfe commented that there has been no reply to their letter from the LPM to date adding that the two LPM members had been denied a proper disciplinary hearing by the party before it recalled them from their positions on the Mariental town council.
The former councillors, through their lawyer had earlier demanded reinstatement by the party or drag it to court, and report them to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) for corruption.
“When somebody makes a decision that is not consistent with the law and denies you your administrative rights in terms of Article 18 of the Namibian constitution, which guarantees administrative fairness, one goes to the High Court and the court will grant you relief that you were not accorded your rights,” Metcalfe said.
Meanwhile LPM Chief Whip, Henny Seibeb, has refused to apologise to Justice Minister, Yvonne Dauseb, for alleged defamatory remarks he made in the National Assembly on Wednesday.
Seibeb claimed that Dauseb had completed a LLB degree on behalf of Tourism minister, Pohamba Shifeta.
Seibeb through his lawyers, Dr Weder, Kauta & Hoveka Inc, sent a letter to Dausebs’ legal representatives, Brockerhoff & Associates, refusing to apologise.
“Your ‘without prejudice’ letter to our client fails to overcome the legal threshold in Section 1 of Powers and Immunities of Parliament Act. The legal threshold is steep and cannot be hurdled by adopting a self-serving restrictive interpretation. As a result, our client declines your demand,” Seibeb’s lawyers said.
