WINDHOEK – Windhoek mayor Muesee Kazapua, who was re-elected to serve a fifth term yesterday, has called on councillors and management at the City of Windhoek to set aside their personal differences and pull in one direction.
Kazapua said failure to do this will divert the city’s focus on service delivery to the masses.
The City of Windhoek has two senior officials, CEO Robert Kahimise and City Police Chief Abraham Kanime, on suspension currently.
The suspensions seem to have created factions, each supporting one of the suspended men.
Kazapua made the remarks yesterday during the inauguration of the office-bearers at city chambers. Kazapua is to be deputised by Loide Kaiyamo, who replaces Tekla Uwanga in that position.
Uwanga is now a member of the management committee. Those elected to the management committee are Moses Shiikwa, Agatha Iyambo Ashilelo, Joel Amadhila, Matilde Ukeva and Uwanga.
City of Windhoek councillors last month suspended CEO Kahimise for three months over a study loan he allegedly took without approval from the council’s management committee. Kahimise’s bid in the High Court a week ago to have his suspension annulled had its urgency dismissed.
In March this year Kahimise placed Kanime on suspension until further notice to pave way for an investigation against him.
Kanime stands accused of spending unauthorised council funds. Kazapua said the council for the last eight months has dealt with leadership vacuums and governance setbacks.
“I must today admit that our diverse opinions and differences on some of the principal issues disrupted our focus on service delivery,” he stated yesterday, adding that as individuals they may differ but should remain united on principles.
“We must today accept and acknowledge that along the way, we have made regrettable mistakes. If we don’t stand up and hold hands in addressing those mistakes, they will continue to divert our focus on service delivery to our people, and will continue to haunt us gravely,” he remarked.
He added that enough damage has already been done to their reputation and as leaders they cannot afford to continue pulling in different directions.
Echoing his remarks was Khomas regional governor Laura McLeod-Katjirua, who said personal hidden agenda or bias interest must not put democracy at threat by depriving the communities of the decent service they deserve.
Katjirua stated that councillors must execute their representative role to the fullest to interpret and prioritise the valued preference of the communities.
“We the policiticans and the mangement cadres must refrain from the attitude of masters and servants, so-called intellectuals and uneducated politicans and that of seeing each other as enemies, by strictly maintaining mutual trust, confidence, mutual respect, and avoid any incidences of doubt or respective responsibilites or accountability which might derail service delivery to our communities in general,” stated the govenor.