Otjiwarongo confirms engineer's return

The Otjiwarongo municipality has confirmed that deputy town engineer Timothy Ggita resumed duty on 14 July, bringing to an end a nearly two-year fully paid suspension.

Responding to an email on Monday through the office of CEO Mberipura Hifitikeko, the municipality confirmed Ggita's return but did not say whether a formal written notice confirming his reinstatement had been issued.

“The municipality continues to follow the necessary administrative and governance processes in relation to the matter, in accordance with the applicable legislative and procedural requirements," the municipality said.

The municipality added that the circumstances leading to Ggita's suspension formed part of an internal employment process and that it could not provide further details because it had a responsibility to respect the confidentiality of the process and the rights of all parties involved.

Efforts to obtain comment from Ggita were unsuccessful.

The municipality's response comes weeks after urban and rural development minister James Sankwasa intervened, ordering Ggita's immediate reinstatement after his suspension dragged on for nearly two years.

Sankwasa questioned why the municipality had allowed the suspension to continue while Ggita remained on the payroll and another official was paid to perform the deputy town engineer's duties in an acting capacity.

He said the arrangement placed an unnecessary financial burden on public funds and directed that Ggita be reinstated without further delay.

The minister also raised concerns about the length of the suspension, saying precautionary suspensions should not become indefinite administrative measures at taxpayers' expense.

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