WINDHOEK – City of Windhoek councillors representing three opposition political parties are calling for President Hage Geingob’s urgent intervention in their internal squabbles that saw City CEO Robert Kahimise and City Police Chief Abraham Kanime suspended last year.
Reading a press statement on behalf of other opposition councillors, Nudo’s City representative Josef Kauadenge said the squabbles have potential to derail any progress made so far towards the provision of basic services to Windhoek residents.
Other signatories to the statement were Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) councillor Ignatius Semba and his Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP) counterpart Brunhilde Cornelius.
“We want to say Mr President, your capital city is under siege from sources inside and outside and it is in dire need of your serious intervention,” they said, jointly.
“We want you to call your minister of Urban and Rural Development Peya Mushelenga to order, as well as explain how he expect this city to function and deliver basic services to its citizens without a capex [capital expenditure] budget,” they said.
Kauadenge stated that the City is in a mess with staff morale at its lowest and this needed urgent remedial action.
He stated that since June last year, Mushelenga did not approve the City’s capital budget of close to N$4 billion to date.
He explained that last year’s capital projects that are part of the strategic plan have not been financed due to that delay.
“How can the minister refuse to approve the City capital budget since last year without providing concrete reasons?” they wanted to know.
Mushelenga could not be reached for comment as his mobile phone was consistently off yesterday.
The aggrieved councillors further alleged that members of management committee were using their position to milk City millions monthly, while they equally benefit from ordinary council allowance, including site visits and workshops.
“Like for the month of October and November [management committee] members received hefty amount of money in sitting allowance amounting to N$ 100 000 per member. This was due to unscheduled management committee meetings called on an hour’s notice and the introduction of so-called management committee caucus meetings,” he shared.
As a result, the trio said they will table a motion of no confidence in the management committee as soon as council resumes around January 22. They are mindful of the fact that they do not have the majority in council to carry this motion if the house is to vote, but said once the motion is tabled it cannot be rejected.
He said it must be debated and only thereafter can the house vote.
The opposition councillors walked out of the special council meeting held Tuesday evening to reportedly recall and suspend Kahimise.
Semba explained that during the meeting, they requested that they be provided with legal advice and take informed decision regarding the Kahimise’s matter.
After this was not done, they walked out of the meeting.
City of Windhoek spokesperson Harold Akwenye said arbitration in the Kahimise matter will take place tomorrow. The three months suspension of the CEO remains. The outcome depends on the arbitration – whether he (Kahimise) will come back or not. Let’s wait on Friday,” stated Akwenye.
In March last year, Kahimise placed head of the Windhoek City Police Abraham Kanime on suspension until further notice.
Kahimise suspended Kanime on allegation of spending un-authorised council funds.
City of Windhoek councillors suspended Kahimise for three months over a study loan he allegedly took without approval from the council’s management committee last year November.
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