Kahimise under fire, again
Five months after his return to office following nearly three months' suspension, City of Windhoek CEO Robert Kahimise has allegedly been officially charged, based on the conclusion of an external investigation into multiple allegations of misconduct levelled against him.
On Friday, Kahimise declined to comment on whether the charges against him have been laid and what these charges are. He requested that questions be emailed to him but had not answered by yesterday.
The details of the charges against the CEO remain under close wraps but Namibian Sun was reliably informed by insiders that he was served with several charges in the past week, which arose from an external audit concluded this year.
The charges he allegedly faces are related to a number of allegations made against him last year, when members of the city council accused him of being “guilty of acts of serious misconduct which may lead to your dismissal”, as per court documents filed at the High Court last year.
In a suspension letter served to him in January, at the same time his third suspension was uplifted, he was informed that among the claims were allegations of misconduct related to a private study scheme, non-procedural promotions and unauthorised expenditures.
Opposition councillor Ignatius Semba (PDM) on Friday could not confirm whether Kahimise had been charged, and what those charges entailed.
He, however, confirmed he had abstained from taking part in council votes related to the allegations against the CEO, underlining that President Hage Geingob in January made it clear the City should set aside its squabbles in order to focus on service delivery.
He said the long infighting at the City, which resulted in the 14-month suspension of City Police chief Abraham Kanime and then the CEO, had prevented the City from being able to “operate optimally”.
He said it was made clear by the president that council should deal with the issues at hand, including dropping charges, so that the City can focus on crucial issues, including the housing crisis.
Kanime returned to his post in May following a 14-month suspension on allegations of serious misconduct, but has stated he wants to defend himself against the remaining charges against him to prove his innocence.
At the end of January, Geingob instructed the City to focus on service delivery and to get their house in order, and criticised the deep divisions in the city council and management committee which he said was preventing the municipality and government from addressing critical issues.
He noted “the alarming infighting and suspension of senior officials without substantive charges, including the chief executive and the chief of police at the City of Windhoek” were adversely affecting service delivery.
In a statement released later that day, the president advised the council to consider, “subject to the law under which it operates, reinstatement of suspended officials to enable the City to focus on service delivery”.
The statement underlined that the president's directive should “in no way be interpreted as a directive for the rule of law to be flouted”.
JANA-MARI SMITH
On Friday, Kahimise declined to comment on whether the charges against him have been laid and what these charges are. He requested that questions be emailed to him but had not answered by yesterday.
The details of the charges against the CEO remain under close wraps but Namibian Sun was reliably informed by insiders that he was served with several charges in the past week, which arose from an external audit concluded this year.
The charges he allegedly faces are related to a number of allegations made against him last year, when members of the city council accused him of being “guilty of acts of serious misconduct which may lead to your dismissal”, as per court documents filed at the High Court last year.
In a suspension letter served to him in January, at the same time his third suspension was uplifted, he was informed that among the claims were allegations of misconduct related to a private study scheme, non-procedural promotions and unauthorised expenditures.
Opposition councillor Ignatius Semba (PDM) on Friday could not confirm whether Kahimise had been charged, and what those charges entailed.
He, however, confirmed he had abstained from taking part in council votes related to the allegations against the CEO, underlining that President Hage Geingob in January made it clear the City should set aside its squabbles in order to focus on service delivery.
He said the long infighting at the City, which resulted in the 14-month suspension of City Police chief Abraham Kanime and then the CEO, had prevented the City from being able to “operate optimally”.
He said it was made clear by the president that council should deal with the issues at hand, including dropping charges, so that the City can focus on crucial issues, including the housing crisis.
Kanime returned to his post in May following a 14-month suspension on allegations of serious misconduct, but has stated he wants to defend himself against the remaining charges against him to prove his innocence.
At the end of January, Geingob instructed the City to focus on service delivery and to get their house in order, and criticised the deep divisions in the city council and management committee which he said was preventing the municipality and government from addressing critical issues.
He noted “the alarming infighting and suspension of senior officials without substantive charges, including the chief executive and the chief of police at the City of Windhoek” were adversely affecting service delivery.
In a statement released later that day, the president advised the council to consider, “subject to the law under which it operates, reinstatement of suspended officials to enable the City to focus on service delivery”.
The statement underlined that the president's directive should “in no way be interpreted as a directive for the rule of law to be flouted”.
JANA-MARI SMITH
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