Namdia struggled to sack Amupolo 'for six months'

The board of directors at Namib Desert Diamonds (Namdia) has been trying to terminate CEO Dr Alisa Amupolo’s contract since late last year over alleged incompetence, and her suspension yesterday over the recent robbery at the company was not at the root of her troubles.This was confirmed by reliable sources on the Namdia board, who told Namibian Sun that Amupolo has been skating on thin ice for the past six months, but directors have struggled to sack her. Amupolo has faced internal resistance – halfway through her tenure – after several employees called for her removal due to alleged incompetence, which has allegedly cost the company over N$230 million in lost revenue as of July 2024.Workers wrote to the company’s board, claiming that Amupolo is not fit to lead the organisation and that diamond sales and international relationships with global diamantaires have been eroded.Amupolo, who hails from a media background, has reportedly struggled to find her feet in the highly competitive and somewhat fragmented global diamond arena, with claims that she lacks an understanding of the industry and the necessary expertise. She previously worked as CEO for ICT infrastructure company PowerCom, a subsidiary of Telecom Namibia.Last year the board allegedly tried to usher Amupolo through the exit door over bonuses paid to employees without proper approval of the directors. The payments, sources claimed at the time, were a desperate attempt to appease the employees. It is not clear what role, if any, Amupolo played in the payments.Attempts were allegedly made to reverse the bonus payments, but some employees allegedly threatened the company with legal action – prompting the board to abandon the issue.Prior to her suspension yesterday, Amupolo was already facing a disciplinary hearing that emanated from recent audit issues at the company.In the wake of a diamond heist The robbery at Namdia on 8 January , during which two men died, is allegedly being used to cement allegations that Amupolo was unfit to run the company. Several security lapses have allegedly been detected as having made the robbery – in which 459 diamond parcels were stolen – easier.Until recently, only 13 parcels had been recovered, while 446 were still missing. The robbery, which claimed the life of Namdia employee Francis Eiseb, has sent shockwaves through the organisation and the country. The incident resulted in the arrest of two suspects, while a third individual linked to the crime, Max Endjala, died after he allegedly shot himself as police closed in.Precautionary measure Yesterday, Namdia confirmed the suspension of Amupolo, alongside chief operations officer Uahoroka Kauta, and security manager Paulinus Sheyapo. The decision, taken over the weekend, aims to ensure a thorough and independent investigation into the events surrounding the heist, the company said.“As part of the ongoing recovery process, Namdia is conducting a comprehensive and robust internal investigation to determine the sequence of events leading up to the crime and to prevent any future security breaches,” the board said. In the interim, Lelly Usiku has been appointed as acting CEO. She is Namdia’s executive for market development, sales and branding.The board emphasised that the suspension of the executives was a necessary precautionary measure, not an indication of guilt. “At this stage, we have no reason to suspect any Namdia employees apart from the suspect already in custody [security officer Joel Angula]. However, we believe this decision is in the best interests of the business and will protect the integrity of both the executives and the investigation,” the board affirmed.

Namdia struggled to sack Amupolo 'for six months'

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Namibian Sun 2025-03-19

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Namdia struggled to sack Amupolo 'for six months'

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Namibian Sun 2025-03-19

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