WINDHOEK – The City of Windhoek’s management committee will today convene a special meeting to officially suspend its CEO Robert Kahimise and to appoint an acting CEO, New Era has learned. Kahimise’s suspension was approved by Minister of Urban and Rural Development Peya Mushelenga, following a written request by some members of the management committee to suspend him.
Kahimise, appointed to the cushy job in February 2017, came under fire after he allegedly got a study loan from his employers without following required procedures.
The study loan was approved by Windhoek mayor Muesee Kazapua and management committee chairperson Mathew Amadhila earlier this year. The two men face prospects of suspension too over the same deal.
In a letter to Deputy Mayor Teckla Uwanga on Monday, Mushelenga said he approved the request by the City management committee to suspend Kahimise.
Mushelenga said his decision to approve Kahimise’s suspension is based on “the principles and values of transparency, good governance and the need to have confidence and trust among persons entrusted with the responsibility of the management of public affairs.”
“I hereby grant approval to your request in terms of section 29 (6) (b) of the Local Authority Act, No.23 of 1992, to suspend the CEO,” Mushelenga said in the letter addressed to Uwanga.
The minister said he was authorising Kahimise’s suspension on a number of conditions, which include that the investigation into his alleged transgressions be completed within three months and such investigation should be carried out by a competent person, who duly qualified to investigate the allegations that are to be investigated.
Also, the minister asked the City to appoint an acting CEO from the insiders working at the level of strategic executive.
The minister also asked to be provided with an update on the status of the investigation after two months, following the suspension of the CEO.
Furthermore, Mushelenga asked the management committee to investigate both City mayor Kazapua and management committee chairperson, Amadhila over their alleged involvement in the study loan saga.
“Persons who are alleged to be involved in the allegations to be investigated should at all material times recuse themselves from the deliberations of the municipal council, provided that they should be afforded an opportunity to explain themselves on their involvement,” said Mushelenga.
Uwanga, in a letter to Mushelenga dated 18 October, said the management committee only learned about Kahimise’s study aid six months after it was granted.
“Management committee took serious exception to the manner in which it was informed about the CEO’s private study matter and recommended to council to suspend the CEO, upon approval by the Minister of Urban and Rural Development, in order to investigate the matter at hand,” she wrote last week.