Ombudsman John Walters yesterday said his office has agreed to look into claims of an “unfair recruitment process” by the Central Procurement Board of Namibia (CPBN).

A complaint by the National Unity Democratic Organisation (Nudo) on Tuesday triggered the action. This follows a recent announcement on social media by the CPBN of its new 14 recruits. Of the 14 recruits, only one male official made the cut. Nudo and many other observers on social media criticised the outcome of the recruitment process, saying it lacked a diverse workforce. “Right from the word go, if one peruse through the appointed new staff members at CPBN, one is left wondering what the criteria was for the said positions,” Nudo secretary general Joseph Kauandenge said in the letter to Walters. 

“To compound the matter even further, one is left in awe as to what was the ‘ration decided’ not in legal context as in judicial, but in this case of the interviewing panel including the final authority which decided to appoint the mentioned staff in those new positions.” He said the matter proved beyond reasonable doubt that whoever appointed the employees at the CPBN had ulterior motives, was negligent and had a very clear agenda of advancing a particular tribe at the expense of others. “We hope that your office being an essential element of state will investigate the above mentioned concerns and revert to us with facts and convincing reasons, that everything was done above board in the appointment of the above mentioned new staff at the CPBN,” Kauandenge said. Walters confirmed Nudo’s request, saying he has assigned an investigative officer to deal with the case and as soon as the investigation is done, he will report to Kauandenge with the outcome. “This is nothing new, such cases are being reported on the daily basis at our office and thus we will address it in the same manner we address others,” he said. Responding to the allegations, CPBN spokesperson Johanna Kambala said the procurement board has a human resource policy, which provides for procedures to be followed in the recruitment and appointment of new staff. Kambala said the first step in the recruitment process of CPBN is to advertise identified vacancies in the public domain with the aim of attracting a diverse number of applicants. “CPBN advertises all its vacancies in the print media and on its website,” she said. “The recruitment of CPBN staff members is based on the applicant’s qualifications, skills and experience as required by the particular vacancy, the institution processes applications as received from the members of the public.”
– ktjitemisa@nepc.com.na