LPM Recalls Keetmanshoop Mayor, Revokes Council Representation
By Anton Wokie
The Landless People’s Movement (LPM) has withdrawn Keetmanshoop Mayor and Town Council Chairperson Melody Swartbooi from her position and revoked her representation of the party on the Keetmanshoop Town Council with immediate effect.
The decision was communicated in a letter dated 5 June 2026 and signed by LPM Operative Secretary Dawid Eigub. The correspondence, addressed to Swartbooi, cites provisions of the Local Authority Act and the party’s constitution as the basis for the move.
According to the letter, the party informed Swartbooi that she was being removed from her position as mayor and that her mandate to represent LPM on the Keetmanshoop Town Council had been revoked with immediate effect.
“The party expresses profound gratitude for your service to the people of Keetmanshoop town during your tenure,” the letter states.
Speaking to this publication, LPM spokesperson Lifalaza Simataa confirmed the authenticity of the letter and defended the decision as part of the party’s broader strategic objectives.
“The letter above is authentic,” Simataa said.
He added that the move was made in line with the party’s internal deployment strategy.
“The decision made was aligned with the party strategic plan in exercising the deployment and redeployment of talent, in order to best achieve party goals,” he explained.
The development marks a significant political shift within the Keetmanshoop local authority, where LPM has maintained a strong presence in recent years. However, the party has not publicly disclosed who will replace Swartbooi on the council or who it intends to nominate for the mayoral position.
The recall comes as political parties across Namibia continue to exercise their powers to deploy and redeploy elected representatives in local and regional authorities, often citing strategic, governance, or organisational considerations.
At the time of publication, Swartbooi had not publicly commented on the decision.
The immediate implications of the recall for the composition of the Keetmanshoop Town Council and the municipality’s leadership are expected to become clearer once the party announces its replacement nominee and the council initiates the necessary processes to fill the vacancy.
