NIP kicks Katiti out
NIP kicks Katiti out

NIP kicks Katiti out

Jemima Beukes
The CEO of the Namibia Institute of Pathology (NIP), Augustinus Katiti, was fired on Friday.

In a hand-delivered letter, the NIP board informed him that they had resolved to dismiss him at an extraordinary board meeting held the previous day.

Board chairperson Diina Shuuluka told Katiti that he was fired because of his “unscrupulous” conduct and political interference to force them to reinstate him as CEO.

The NIP board suspended Katiti on 18 June 2018 after consulting health minister Bernard Haufiku and public enterprises minister Leon Jooste.

“Your conduct as aforesaid is in sense and effect calculated to thwart the lawfully and properly taken and constituted disciplinary action and hearing against you, thereby frustrating and compromising the continuation of disciplinary hearing,” said Shuuluka.

The serious allegations against him include overspending on subsistence and travel by over N$1 million after having been awarded a budget of N$2.5 million.

Katiti is said to have undertaken trips to the US, Sweden, Austria and South Africa.

Also under scrutiny is a trip to Italy undertaken by Katiti and five of his executives, which the cost the SOE N$400 000. The NIP top brass apparently went to Italy to purchase lavish office furniture to the tune of N$11 million, according to an insider privy to the affairs of the parastatal. Shuuluka said Katiti's dismissal was also influenced by the fact that he used the media to conduct his defence instead of allowing the disciplinary process to take its course. Following his suspension in June Katiti, through his lawyer Richard Metcalfe, accused the NIP board of leaking false information to the media in an attempt to tarnish his image. In statements to the media, he denied all allegations against him.



Controversy

Katiti is not new to controversy. He was widely criticised after receiving a N$2.78 million golden handshake when he resigned as the Walvis Bay municipality's CEO in March 2007.

At the time the Walvis Bay Residents Association (WBRA) and Walvis Bay resident Gerhard Rössler challenged the Walvis Bay town council's decision to approve the N$2.78 million payout to Katiti.

The Namibian newspaper reported in 2011 that in terms of his employment contract with the municipality, Katiti and the municipality had to give each other 60 days' notice if either of them wanted to end their employment relationship.

Katiti gave only six days' notice when he resigned on 27 March 2007, with his resignation taking effect on 2 April 2007. In terms of the Labour Act, therefore, he was entitled only to his last month's salary and to being paid out for unused accrued leave.

Neither Katiti nor ministers Haufiku and Jooste were immediately available for comment on his dismissal.



JEMIMA BEUKES

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Namibian Sun 2024-03-29

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Nam 2.22 SAME | Oryx Properties Ltd 12.1 UP 1.70% | Paratus Namibia Holdings 11.99 SAME | SBN Holdings 8.45 SAME | Trustco Group Holdings Ltd 0.48 SAME | B2Gold Corporation 47.34 DOWN 1.50% | Local Index closed 677.62 UP 0.12% | Overall Index closed 1534.6 DOWN 0.05% | Osino Resources Corp 19.47 DOWN 2.41% | Commodities: Gold US$ 2 233.12/OZ UP +1.93% | Copper US$ 3.99/lb UP +0.12% | Zinc US$ 2 455.50/T UP 0% | Brent Crude Oil US$ 87.65/BBP UP +1.46% | Platinum US$ 908.62/OZ UP +1.53% Sport results: Weather: Katima Mulilo: 19° | 36° Rundu: 19° | 29° Eenhana: 19° | 29° Oshakati: 21° | 30° Ruacana: 20° | 33° Tsumeb: 19° | 29° Otjiwarongo: 16° | 29° Omaruru: 19° | 32° Windhoek: 17° | 29° Gobabis: 17° | 30° Henties Bay: 16° | 20° Wind speed: 22km/h, Wind direction: S, Low tide: 11:22, High tide: 05:24, Low Tide: 23:26, High tide: 17:46 Swakopmund: 16° | 17° Wind speed: 24km/h, Wind direction: SW, Low tide: 11:20, High tide: 05:22, Low Tide: 23:24, High tide: 17:44 Walvis Bay: 16° | 22° Wind speed: 27km/h, Wind direction: SW, Low tide: 11:20, High tide: 05:21, Low Tide: 23:24, High tide: 17:43 Rehoboth: 19° | 30° Mariental: 23° | 34° Keetmanshoop: 24° | 35° Aranos: 22° | 33° Lüderitz: 15° | 28° Ariamsvlei: 24° | 35° Oranjemund: 14° | 25° Luanda: 27° | 28° Gaborone: 20° | 32° Lubumbashi: 17° | 26° Mbabane: 16° | 21° Maseru: 11° | 29° Antananarivo: 16° | 27° Lilongwe: 17° | 27° Maputo: 20° | 28° Windhoek: 17° | 29° Cape Town: 17° | 28° Durban: 20° | 24° Johannesburg: 16° | 24° Dar es Salaam: 26° | 32° Lusaka: 20° | 30° Harare: 16° | 29° Economic Indicators: Currency: GBP to NAD 23.76 | EUR to NAD 20.35 | CNY to NAD 2.61 | USD to NAD 18.88 | DZD to NAD 0.14 | AOA to NAD 0.02 | BWP to NAD 1.33 | EGP to NAD 0.39 | KES to NAD 0.14 | NGN to NAD 0.01 | ZMW to NAD 0.74 | ZWL to NAD 0.04 | BRL to NAD 3.77 | RUB to NAD 0.2 | INR to NAD 0.23 | USD to DZD 134.14 | USD to AOA 832.63 | USD to BWP 13.71 | USD to EGP 47.35 | USD to KES 130.98 | USD to NGN 1415.13 | USD to ZAR 18.88 | USD to ZMW 25.01 | USD to ZWL 321 | Stock Exchange: JSE All Share Index 74536 Up +0.85% | Namibian Stock Exchange (NSX) Overall Index 1528.69 Up +0.84% | Casablanca Stock Exchange (CSE) MASI 12986.94 Up +0.04% | Egyptian Exchange (EGX) 30 Index 27559.35 Down -2.36% | Botswana Stock Exchange (BSE) DCI Same 0 | NSX: MTC 7.75 SAME | Anirep 8.99 SAME | Capricorn Investment group 17.34 SAME | FirstRand Namibia Ltd 49 DOWN 0.50% | Letshego Holdings (Namibia) Ltd 4.1 UP 2.50% | Namibia Asset Management Ltd 0.7 SAME | Namibia Breweries Ltd 31.49 UP 0.03% | Nictus Holdings - Nam 2.22 SAME | Oryx Properties Ltd 12.1 UP 1.70% | Paratus Namibia Holdings 11.99 SAME | SBN Holdings 8.45 SAME | Trustco Group Holdings Ltd 0.48 SAME | B2Gold Corporation 47.34 DOWN 1.50% | Local Index closed 677.62 UP 0.12% | Overall Index closed 1534.6 DOWN 0.05% | Osino Resources Corp 19.47 DOWN 2.41% | Commodities: Gold US$ 2 233.12/OZ UP +1.93% | Copper US$ 3.99/lb UP +0.12% | Zinc US$ 2 455.50/T UP 0% | Brent Crude Oil US$ 87.65/BBP UP +1.46% | Platinum US$ 908.62/OZ UP +1.53%