WINDHOEK – City of Windhoek CEO Robert Kahimise has asked the city mayor and chairperson of council to convene a meeting to consider and resolve the withdrawal or quashing of the charges against the suspended City Police chief Abraham Kanime and investigations against himself (Kahimise).
In a letter dated April 5, Kahimise wrote to Mayor Muesee Kazapua, stating that council requested him (Kahimise) to lift Kanime’s suspension whereas the rationale in the external legal opinion is to quash the charges.
“Lifting the suspension will therefore not achieve the ultimate objective and will leave the situation where Kanime is back in the office while facing 20 disciplinary charges.”
“The legal opinion further deals with how council should deal with the current investigation against me. However, council is silent in the resolution how the investigation against me should be dealt with,” he wrote.
Kahimise further stated that the legal opinion drafter hesitates in reaching the ultimate conclusion that he (Kahimise) has the power to lift the suspension of Kanime.
“Parliament, in its wisdom, has made provision that the repository of power to dismiss the Head of City Police is council. Therefore, the corollary power to withdraw or quash charges lies in council,” he said.
“The pith of council’s instruction to me and in the legal opinion is to ensure that the charges against head of City Police are withdrawn or quashed and that the investigations against me is brought to an end for the City to concentrate on service delivery and security as the President enjoined on January 30, 2019,” said Kahimise.
Mayor Kazapua asked the reporter to WhatsApp him questions on Friday but did not respond by the time of going to print yesterday.
When the chairperson of the council management committee Agatha Iyambo Ashilelo was asked when they will call the meeting, she replied that it is up to Mayor Kazapua to decide.
Ashilelo said the letter was only sent from the mayor’s office and it was not discussed hence she could not say much regarding the matter.
Kanime told New Era that they are approaching the High Court this week for his suspension to be lifted and a date to be set for his hearing.
Kanime said he wants council to complete the process so that the charges he is facing can be confirmed or not.
Kanime further questioned why his case and Kahimise’s should be linked.
Kanime added that he was not surprised that Kahimise wrote to the mayor instead of the management committee – alleging that the two (Kahimise and Kazapua) and Namibian Police Inspector-General Sebastian Ndeitunga were behind the scheme to discredit and victimise him.