The fired Namibia Sports Commission board will challenge their dismissal by the sports minister in court.

NSC chief administrator Freddy Mwiya, who is the bone of contention in the matter, told this publication they have filed a court interdict to restrain sports minister Agnes Tjongarero from interference in the business of the commission.

The matter will be heard in the High Court this morning at 09h00.

Tjongarero on Tuesday sacked the sports commissioners on account of deliberate insubordination and ignoring directives from the appointing authority as well as directives from the Office of the Attorney General.

Approached for comment yesterday, Tjongarero said she dissolved the commission because she cannot work with people who are threatening her to make decisions according to their will.

“The board’s term ends next Tuesday, and I thought we could part on a good note, but after threatening me to make decisions according to their will, I decided to dissolve the board, because I can’t work with people who are acting in that manner,” she told New Era Sport. The board members are Joel Matheus (chairperson), Erica Beukes, Tomas Mbeeli, Alna Similo, Linda Chicalu, Marius Johannes, Karen Mubonenwa and Nicklaus Nghumono. 

Tjongarero, in a letter dated 24 May 2022 and addressed to Matheus, said she told the board to advertise the position of the chief administrator to allow interested Namibians to apply for this position, which they failed to do. 

“The tenure of the current chief administrator, Mr Freddy Mwiya, expired on 31 March 2022, and in my correspondence dated 21 October 2021, I requested that you inform him accordingly,” reads the letter.

“The same correspondence also requested for a name of a person to act in the interim. Since then, I have waited in vain for the position to be advertised as well as the name of the nominee to act,” said Tjongarero in her letter.

Interestingly, the commission chose to allow Mwiya to continue carrying out the functions of the office of the chief administrator, which is in direct contravention of her directives.

“The inability of the commission to comply with requests, emanating from the appointing authority, is not new. The increase of the chief administrator’s salary was deemed unauthorised by the legal advice to reverse this increase, but it is something you summarily ignored,” Tjongarero further said.

On his part, Matheus said they will give their opinion in the coming days.

Meanwhile, the sports minister said they are already looking into appointing new board members, but this might take a while.

She also confirmed receipt of a letter from the board that they will contest their expulsion in court. 

- mkambukwe@nepc.com.na

Photo: Minister jpg – 

Caption: Not happy…Sports minister Agnes Tjongarero 

Photo: Mwiya – Matheus jpg – 

Caption: Challenging…Freddy Mwiya 

Photos: Nampa- mkambukwe@nepc.com.na