Namoloh must call local councils to order - Nalao

WINDHOEK ELLANIE SMITThe minister of regional and local government, Charles Namoloh, has been urged to get the local government sector in order after the recent suspensions of chief executive officers at municipalities for apparent frivolous reasons.The Namibian Association of Local Authorities (Nalao) has expressed serious concern over these suspensions and specifically highlighted recent cases at the local authorities of Keetmanshoop, MaltahÃ¶he and Usakos.According to chief executive officer of Nalao, Nathanael Areseb, the suspensions at local authorities were done without regard for the basic principles of administrative justice and in violation of the Local Authorities Act.Areseb said although there have been investigations by the ministry into some of these cases, it is high time for the minister to take more decisive action.&quot;The latest spate of suspensions on frivolous grounds, and for which no charges or disciplinary hearings are normally forthcoming, is a shameful betrayal of governance at the local level,&quot; he said.According to Areseb, a person is suspended when there is reasonable expectation that he or she will interfere with an investigation.Areseb said local authorities are using suspensions as a punitive measure against CEOs.He referred to the latest case at Usakos where the CEO was suspended and said that he was merely suspended, &quot;because he refused to take money from the capital budget to pay S&amp;T for a joyride to LÃ¼deritz.&quot;He stressed that such arbitrary and unprincipled actions erode public confidence in the local government sector.&quot;It reflects a betrayal of the trust our communities have placed in the elected representatives to represent their needs for housing, sanitation and employment opportunities. What we rather see is a disturbing tendency to serve myopic self- interest [rather] than the interests of the communities and the local authorities.&quot;

Namoloh must call local councils to order - Nalao

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Namibian Sun 2025-05-05

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Namoloh must call local councils to order - Nalao

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Namibian Sun 2025-05-05

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