Windhoek
Erongo Regional Governor, Cleophas Mutjavikua, has defended the country’s regional political heads against claims that governors are more accountable to the appointing authority than the general public.
The issue was discussed during one of the sessions at the conference when NIPAM’s Executive Director, Professor Joseph Diescho spoke about Community Engagements: A target-orientation approach to transform public attitude against corruption.
Diescho reiterated the need for the electorate to be given the mandate to elect regional governors instead of them being appointed by the President.
Diescho feels this practice results in governors being more accountable to the appointing authority instead of being accountable to the public.
“How can you [governor] be accountable to the people if you have no relationship with them? Accountability starts from the region, therefore people needed to be given the opportunity to elect governors,” said Diescho.
Responding to Diescho’s remarks during an interview with New Era on the sidelines of the conference, Mutjavikua said: “The President is a servant of the people and he has been given the mandate by the people to appoint people that he needs to lead the country.”
“We do not have a problem whether we are appointed by the President or elected by the people, either way we are accountable to the people,” he said.
Mutjavikua said the topic was discussed several times at the regional governors forum, saying governors are ready to abide by any system.
“In terms of democracy the President has the power to appoint governors, just like he appoints the executive branch. We have some ministers who were not elected by the public but that does not make them less accountable to the public,” he said.