By Petronella Sibeene
WINDHOEK
For the second time, the Karibib Municipality has suspended its Chief Executive Officer, Lydia Kandetu.
In an interview with New Era on Monday, Kandetu said when she arrived at the office that morning she found her office door locked.
Upon inquiry, she was advised to collect a letter from the finance manager.
The letter co-signed by the mayor of Karibib, Aldelheid Hamukonda and chairperson of the management committee, Titus Naboth, did not give reasons for Kandetu’s suspension.
Both Naboth and Hamukonda yesterday remained tight-lipped on Kandetu’s suspension.
The letter, however, stated that the council shall pursue a disciplinary hearing and Kandetu will be charged.
Suspended on full pay until the disciplinary hearing takes place, the letter also stated that the management committee was waiting for the Ministry of Regional and Local Government, Housing and Rural Development for an alternate date and appointment of a chairperson for the disciplinary hearing.
Kandetu is not allowed to interfere with council witnesses and is further not allowed to enter council premises without permission from Naboth.
She is also prohibited from leaving Karibib unless approved by the chairperson of the management committee.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Regional and Local Government, Housing and Rural Development, Erastus Negonga, could not shed light on the persistent Karibib squabbles.
“The ministry does not have details why she was suspended,” he told New Era yesterday.
Last September, Kandetu was suspended after council alleged that she was incapable of carrying out office duties efficiently.
It was alleged that she engaged in illegal tender awards and failed to buy a refuse truck as agreed by council.
The suspension letter then was delivered at a restaurant where she was having lunch.
She was reinstated after a month.
Last month, a high-level delegation representing the Government and other stakeholders undertook a three-day trip to Karibib to conduct an onsite situation analysis following ongoing squabbles at the town. The delegation comprised the Deputy Permanent Secretary, Simwanza Simenda, and officials from the Association for Local Authorities in Namibia.
The visit to Karibib came after residents aired their dissatisfaction with the operations of the town council with many alleging that elected members and the municipal chief executive officer have failed to deliver.
Community members interviewed by New Era alleged that the councillors and Kandetu are so preoccupied with their fights that they are neglecting service delivery to the community.
Negonga yesterday said the assessment report on Karibib would not necessarily cover the squabbles at the town but service delivery and efficiency.