WINDHOEK - Minister of Urban and Rural Development Peya Mushelenga yesterday approved the request by the City of Windhoek (CoW) management committee to suspend its Chief Executive Officer Robert Kahimise over a study loan he took from the City.
The move to suspend Kahimise follows after he allegedly got a study loan approved by Windhoek mayor Muesee Kazapua and management committee chairperson Mathew Amadhila earlier this year without following required procedures.
Kazapua and Amadhila now also face possible suspensions for their alleged role in the disbursement of Kahimise’s study aid.
In terms of the City’s Training and Development Policy, an application for private study aid by the CEO must be considered by the management committee.
This was allegedly not complied with when Kahimise was granted such aid for his studies towards a Doctorate in Business Administration at the Galilee International Management Institute in Israel.
Deputy mayor Teckla 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.
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 deputy mayor Teckla 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 competent person, who duly qualified to investigate the allegations that are to be investigated.
Also, the minister asked the City management 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, Mathew 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.
Meanwhile, a special council meeting was held yesterday to discuss the minister’s letter. New Era is reliably informed that the three opposition councillors at the City, Nudo’s Josie Kauandenge, PDM’s Ignatius Semba and Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP) councillor Brunhilde Cornelius walked out of the meeting in protest.
Kazapua and Amadhila were also excluded from the meeting due to their perceived involvement in the matter.