The future of City Police head Abraham Kanime appears to be hanging in the balance after municipal CEO Robert Kahimise reportedly failed to issue a notice to convene a meeting last week Thursday, where Kanime was to sign a lucrative three-year contract extension. 

In a dramatic twist of events, mayor Fransina Kahungu has also distanced herself from those supporting Kanime’s return, saying she had a change of mind after the Service Advisory Committee (SAC) and picked senior City Police superintendent Adam Eiseb to take over from Kanime, who turns 60 next month. 

“When I was fighting tirelessly, there was no person recommended from within; now there is a person recommended and I have no reason to refuse the person,” Kahungu explained. 

Kanime, who is reportedly enjoying the support of Swapo councillors, who are dominating the council’s management committee, had agreed to the new offer of around N$6.6 million. It translates to around N$2.2 million per year and a monthly package of a little over N$182 000. According to council documents, Kanime’s proposed 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.  Kahungu told New Era she only supported the return of Kanime because there was no recommended person to take over from him at the time and it will not be in the interest of the law to go against the SAC decision. 

The SAC consists of the chiefs of Namibian Defence Force, Namibian Police, Namibia Correctional Service and director general of the Namibia Central Intelligence Services. Kahungu confirmed Kanime was given the offer to head the City Police for another three years while a suitable candidate is being recruited.  However, she said, the management committee has failed to meet to discuss the issue before the end of March. Insiders at the City of Windhoek say if the issue is not discussed before 30 April, there is a strong possibility that Kanime would not return. 

“That matter is now outstanding because it was not brought forth for discussion, and now the chief executive officer has postponed all the meetings due to Covid-19. They are accusing me of something that is not within my power,” she said.  Kahungu said she received a letter from the management committee and signed by nine councillors, who requested her to convene the monthly ordinary council meeting, which was initially slated for last week Thursday. 

The CEO duly postponed the meeting, according to Kahungu. The mayor added she does not have the power to convene such a meeting, citing Section 14 (c) of the Local Authority Act, which gives the CEO the necessary power to call management meetings. 

Attempts to reach Kahimise proved futile yesterday as his phone rang unanswered. – ljason@nepc.com.na