Katiti drags NIP to labour commissioner

The recruitment of a new Namibia Institute of Pathology (NIP) CEO has been delayed after the previous incumbent, Augustinus Katiti, dragged the parastatal to the Office of the Labour Commissioner.This was confirmed by NIP board member Frans Kwala.Katiti's lawyer Richard Metcalfe confirmed his client was fighting his 30 August dismissal and that he had approached the labour commissioner's office.“We are waiting for a date from the labour commissioner,” Metcalfe said.Kwala said the recruitment of a new CEO would start once the matter was settled.“We are waiting for the labour commissioner process to unfold before we start the recruitment process for a new CEO.”Katiti was fired following alleged attempts to delay the start of his disciplinary hearing.Board chairperson Diina Shuuluka told Katiti in his dismissal letter that he was fired because of his “unscrupulous” conduct and political interference in a bid to force them to reinstate him as CEO.The NIP board suspended Katiti on 18 June, after consulting with health minister Bernard Haufiku and public enterprises minister Leon Jooste.When asked to provide an update on the disciplinary process for the other suspended NIP executives, Kwala referred Namibian Sun to acting CEO Mecky Nghipandulwa.“I cannot comment on that; that process is in the hands of the lawyers,” said Nghipandulwa.Three NIP executives, chief operations officer Harold Kaura, chief financial officer Cleophas Mbahijova and chief strategy and business development officer Jennifer Kauapirura, were also suspended in June - three days after Katiti's suspension. Two more executives, chief human capital officer Monika Pendukeni and chief technology officer Valerie Garises, were suspended in August. Nghipandulwa did not respond to a query as to how the suspensions were affecting the NIP's operations.Namibian Sun understands disciplinary hearings for the suspended executives are currently under way.It was previously reported that Pendukeni was suspended for allegedly allowing three positions to be created in the company without the board's approval, while Garises is accused of allowing an IT tender to be awarded without following proper procedures.Katiti, Kaura, Mbahijova and Kauapirura were accused of failing to protect the interests of the NIP, and of bringing the parastatal into disrepute.OGONE TLHAGE

Katiti drags NIP to labour commissioner

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Namibian Sun 2026-09-11

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Katiti drags NIP to labour commissioner

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Namibian Sun 2026-09-11

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