A group of residents in Gobabis handed over a petition to the Minister of Urban and Rural Development, James Sankwasa, claiming maladministration, unlawful awarding of contracts, and unjustifiable salary increments at the local authority.

The petitioners claimed that there is a serious disregard for and abuse of power.

They also declared a vote of no confidence against the chief executive officer.

Demonstrators also flagged the lack of implementation of the Council's recommendations and resolutions. 

The group added that the council has unlawfully allocated the farm Nuwehoop to the office of the governor without obtaining ministerial approval. 

Veronika Kuzeeko, the spokesperson of the Gobabis Concerned Members, said, "We, the Gobabis residents, are waiting for due responses on these long overdue matters. In light of the documented failures, persistent mismanagement of finance and administration, incompetence, and complete breakdown in public accountability, we, the residents of Gobabis, have exhausted all internal avenues."

While receiving the petition, the Minister of Urban and Rural Development, James Sankwasa, stressed that he will need time to acquaint himself with the given documents. 

Minister Sankwasa stressed that it is important that office bearers serve diligently, adding that "I can only say give me time to study this petition. I have been hearing telephonically and on WhatsApp that there are problems in Gobabis; therefore, I wrote a letter last week to say my office is inundated with these complaints from the community. So, I want to meet the people who are complaining, and these complaints are the same as the ones I have seen on social media. All I can say is that we, as a government, my office, will attend to your complaints."

The minister was in Gobabis, where he met with local authority and regional council leadership in Omaheke.