Kuzeeko Tjitemisa

Windhoek City Police chief Abraham Kanime has landed a new three-year contract worth about N$6.6 million, according to council documents seen by New Era. 
Kanime, who was due to go on retirement next month, has agreed to the offer, which translates to around N$2.2 million per year and a montly package of a little over N$182 000. 
According to council documents, Kanime was handed the new contract to avoid uncertainty and a leadership vacuum at the City Police. Kanime is expected to sign the new contract this Thursday. According to council documents, Kanime’s pay package includes a yearly basic salary of at least N$1.4 million, car allowance of N$302 000, housing allowance of N$492 000 and an additional annual bonus of N$116 000. 
Kanime’s reappointment according to some insiders at the City of Windhoek was done in violation of the municipal police service regulations, 

which suggests a City Police head must be appointed in consultation with the Service Advisory Committee (SAC) and on the recommendation of the municipal CEO. 
The SAC consists of the chiefs of Namibian Defence Force, Namibian Police, Namibia Correctional Service and director general of the Namibia Central Intelligence Services. According to council minutes seen by New Era, the SAC had recommended senior City Police superintendent Adam Eiseb to take up the helm of the City Police. 
The committee had also recommended Commissioner Elias Mutota as the deputy head of operation and a certain Leevi Shivolo IIeka as the deputy head of administration and finance. According to his new draft contract, Kanime is expected to develop and implement a succession plan, develop a financial and operational sustainability framework and the establishment of the City Police training school. Furthermore, Kanime is also expected to review relevant regulations with emphasis on governance and financing models and development of new policies to enhance professionalism and operational effectiveness and other strategic functions that council may assign to him. 
Kanime will have dual access to the city’s management committee and the CEO during the three years at the helm of the City Police. In February this year, New Era reported the Swapo-dominated council recommended that Kanime be appointed for an undetermined period until a suitable candidate to replace him has been found. Talks about a contract extension come weeks after Kanime had formally asked to go on early retirement on 30 April. Kanime turns 60 on 19 May. According to minutes of council documents, some councillors are arguing that Kanime should be retained on the basis that he was on a prolonged suspension period, which impacted the completion of crucial tasks. 
“The notice of termination of the employment contract as tendered by City Police head Abraham Kanime must be noted: that the importance of the position held by Kanime to the safety and security of residents of Windhoek and to the overall delivery of service also be noted; that it be noted the time period Mr AK Kanime spent on suspension had a negative impact on the completion of many crucial tasks, including the succession plan,” the submission read. 
Kanime officially returned from a 14-month suspension in May last year. He was suspended and faced 69 charges, including allegations that he made unauthorised payments to lawyers who represented him and the City Police members in cases against his employer. 
The City, however, decided to withdraw all of the charges against Kanime, including the unauthorised payments to lawyers, but not the 20 charges of misconduct concerning the alleged appointments of police officers without following the correct recruitment processes.  
According to The Namibian, Kanime was being paid a monthly salary of over N$184 000, including benefits, while on suspension. Attempts to reach Kanime, city mayor Fransina Kahungu and CEO Robert Kahimise proved futile yesterday.
-ktjitemisa@nepc.com.na