The chairperson of the management committee of the Oniipa Town Council, Jafet Augustus, believes there are still valid grounds to suspend under-fire local authority CEO Junias Jakob. Jakob, who was temporarily removed in mid-November, was reinstated with immediate effect this week by the recently sworn-in council, which is headed by mayor Hileni Idhogela.
Jakob was suspended last month on allegations of corruption, relating to payments of an electrical tender.
Last week, Minister of Urban and Rural Development Erastus Uutoni wrote to the then-mayor David Kambonde, advising them to follow the correct procedures before they can suspend the CEO as stipulated in section 29 (6) (b) of the Local Authorities Act.
“It seems there was a mistake on how we handled the matter of the suspension, which I understand was an element of getting the green light from the line minister before executing,” Augustus told New Era yesterday.
“We have so far in the meantime corrected that and we are waiting for the minister to pronounce himself. So we have now complied and are also in line with the Local Authorities Act where procedures were allegedly not followed. Therefore, collectively as council, we have reversed the decision of suspension and waiting for that authorisation. However, there are still strong grounds to suspend him and that is inevitable.”
He was adamant the CEO would be suspended the moment the minister gives the green light.
“The moment we get a green light, he will be shown the door without wasting time. We want this matter investigated and an audit be carried out,” he added while defending himself from critics that he has been bulldozing the rest of the councillors into this decision.
Jakob this week defended himself, saying he wanted his name cleared.
“They have already destroyed my professional and personal reputation,” he charged.