IPC councillor and member of the Windhoek Municipal Council’s management committee, Bernadus Araeb, says he was recalled by the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) because he refused to pay a monthly contribution to the party.
Araeb says the party wanted him to pay 10% of his net income, which adds up to about N$72,000 since 2024. He says his monthly contribution would have been around N$4,000 depending on his allowances.
But Araeb refused, saying the order has no legal backing in Namibian law or in the council rules. “The recall is a witch hunt, untimely, premature, and irresponsible, as it is not supported by any law. I refused to pay because we are already taxed. I have been against this rule since 2020,” Araeb said.
He also says the party told him not to contest for any leadership position in the council, but he went ahead anyway. “I chose to stand by the oath of office I took, not follow directives that have no constitutional basis. As a result, I have been removed from all the party’s social media pages,” he said.
Araeb, who is also a former freedom fighter, says he is not planning to leave the party. “I have not even faced a disciplinary hearing, nothing. The last official communication I received from the party was in 2023. Since then, they have cut contact. The letters and phone calls they claim to have made are simply not true.”
According to the IPC constitution, members must follow party rules and pay all dues to remain in good standing. Article 4.52.4 says members must follow party decisions and rules, even if they didn’t take part in the meetings where the decisions were made. Article 4.55.9 says a member must be up to date with all payments to qualify to hold office.
The party says Araeb was reminded many times by phone and WhatsApp, and was also sent a letter on 17 July 2025. The letter gave him 7 days to explain why he should remain as a councillor. But the party says Araeb ignored all the messages.
Araeb says he is now in a standoff with the party leadership, but insists he did nothing wrong.
