After protracted wrangling, Khorixas appoints CEO

Home National After protracted wrangling, Khorixas appoints CEO

Clemans Miyanicwe

Windhoek-After more than a year of wrangling by councillors over the appointment of the CEO, Khorixas will finally appoint its chief tomorrow.

Former principal of local school, Cornelius Goreseb High School, Andreas /Howoseb, will take the seat of CEO tomorrow after it became vacant following councillors’ decision not to renew the five-year contract of Nikodemus #Gaeseb in 2016.

Since then Khorixas was run interchangeably by Ralla //Gowaseb, Eben Xoagub and 27-year-old Ester /Nanus.
/Howoseb was first on the list of top four candidates processed but this apparently caused conflict among some ruling Swapo Party councillors and some of them even stormed out of a meeting held over the appointment.

Last November the then Minister of Urban and Rural Development Sophia Shaningwa summoned the councillors to Windhoek and advised them of the possibility of being dragged to court should they appoint the fourth most successful candidate at the expense of /Howoseb, who will tomorrow finally take over the levers as CEO.
According to Khorixas Mayor Elizabeth Geises, the appointment of the CEO was long overdue as the position is very important when it comes to the well-being and development of the town.

‘’The appointment of the chief executive officer is an important step towards development of our town. It will be a very proud moment for us as residents of Khorixas,’’ Geises told New Era yesterday.

Geises said the absence of a CEO affected Khorixas negatively and created anarchy as some employees did as they wished.

“We waited for this appointment with open hands but the son of the soil has been appointed as the person in charge of our town,’’ Geises enthused.

Geises added that what makes
/Howoseb’s appointment more significant is that he grew up playing on the dusty streets of Khorixas. “He (/Howoseb) knows our weaknesses and strengths. We will highly benefit from his appointment,’’ Geises added.
‘’Will /Howoseb not want to develop our town, tar the dusty roads he played on? Will he not work towards development of our town?’’ she opined.

Residents were called upon to witness the swearing-in ceremony of the new CEO at an event that will be held at the Khorixas Town Council Hall behind NamPost tomorrow where cultural dancers are expected to perform.
The new CEO will have his hands full as he has to find a solution to the town’s ageing vehicle fleet, rein in escalating debt among residents and create an enabling environment to woo investors.

Currently the town also lacks a shopping mall and sometimes residents travel 180 kilometres to Otjiwarongo in Otjozundjupa Region to do their shopping.