Job spills Progressive Forces’ secrets
Heated council meeting scheduled for today
Sade Gawanas is understood to have formally demanded that her predecessor provides proof of his claims.
Former Windhoek mayor Job Amupanda has spilled the beans on how the City of Windhoek’s management committee - under the municipality’s ruling political alliance – has allegedly stalled the appointment of the City CEO because those in the running are perceived to be members of the ruling party Swapo.
Amupanda, whose movement Affirmative Repositioning (AR) was part of the now-defunct ‘Progressive Forces’ after a spectacular fallout, caught his council colleagues by surprise when he stood up during a meeting last month and alleged there was a collective resolution to block the five shortlisted CEO candidates from being appointed due to their alleged Swapo ties.
The Progressive Forces comprised of Independent Patriots for Change (IPC), National Unity Democratic Organisation (Nudo), Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) and AR.
IPC, PDM and Nudo all denied Amupanda’s claim and new mayor Sade Gawanas is understood to have formally demanded that her predecessor provide proof of his claims.
The shortlisted candidates are Conrad Lutombi, Moses Matyayi, Eino Mvula, Joyce Mukubi and Charmill Zamuee. They were interviewed last October but no appointment has been made to date. The City has been without a substantive CEO for two years.
For years, opposition parties have accused Swapo of alienating technocrats who do not belong to that party.
‘Corrupt dealing’
Municipal sources told Namibian Sun this week that Amupanda told the 12 April council sitting: “I want to be on record that the reason why we did not appoint anyone is because the shortlisted candidates are seen to be aligned to Swapo”.
Amupanda allegedly read messages from a WhatsApp group titled ‘MC PF’ to substantiate his claims.
The ‘MC PF’ is a group which comprised of all parties that formed part of the previous City coalition.
Amupanda alleged that there was clear manipulation of the City of Windhoek CEO recruitment process, adding that his conscience cannot allow him to side with corrupt dealings.
With council set to meet later today to discuss the CEO appointment at a special council meeting, it remains to be seen whether Amupanda will back up his claims with proof. He promised to concretise his evidence in writing.
“I have said it in the meeting that I don’t want to be part of corruption. There were some flimsy reasons advanced such as grammar. There is actually no reason why it cannot go on, while we know for sure what the reasons are - it is because they are saying that the candidates are Swapo,” he told Namibian Sun yesterday.
“The discussion in general was that the coalition must get their own candidate, so they want to restart the process so they can get their own person. I cannot be party to this. IPC is trying to manipulate people.”
Rocky patch
The City’s deputy mayor Joseph Uapingene said it is unfortunate that Amupanda is revealing secrets now that he is ‘out of the marriage’ and accused him of disregarding the rule of politics by disrespecting the coalition caucus.
Uapingene, however, confirmed that they wanted to restart the process afresh - but not for the alleged reasons.
“That we have our own candidate is pure lies. The process to us was not done fairly and that was all there is to it, but the matter is still with the management committee and the council. I cannot dwell much on it until it is finalised,” he said.
PDM leader McHenry Venaani said: “PDM is no longer part of the City of Windhoek management committee and we wish the best candidate is recruited no matter what party they are aligned to”.
Management committee chairperson Ndeshihafela Larandja added: “Council staff matters are privileged and it would be unethical to discuss recruitment matters of any staff member with the public”.
Larandja, who serves on council on an IPC ticket, is one of those pushing for the selection process to be restarted. During the controversial council meeting, she told her colleagues “over my dead body, this process must be restarted”.
IPC, which has been leading the management committee since the start of the recruitment process, has since made a U-turn by criticising the very process it was spearheading.
Chief amongst the reasons behind the change of heart is that IPC felt then acting CEO George Mayumbelo was not supposed to form part of the shortlisting committee. Questions have also been raised as to why acting department of human capital and corporate services head Archie Nikanor was not part of the committee.
The management committee raised another red flag, saying: “The candidates who applied are not tallying since the long list of applicants provided by the department of human capital and corporate services indicated 61 applications; while 25 met the requirements of which only five are shortlisted, whereas the submission under discussion indicates 68 candidates.”
Asked to comment on the alleged political nepotism, Swapo chief whip at the City of Windhoek, Queen Kamati, said: “I cannot comment on this matter because it is still under council consideration”.
She added: “As Swapo Party, we believe all Namibians, regardless of their political affiliation, should enjoy equal access to opportunities”.
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Amupanda, whose movement Affirmative Repositioning (AR) was part of the now-defunct ‘Progressive Forces’ after a spectacular fallout, caught his council colleagues by surprise when he stood up during a meeting last month and alleged there was a collective resolution to block the five shortlisted CEO candidates from being appointed due to their alleged Swapo ties.
The Progressive Forces comprised of Independent Patriots for Change (IPC), National Unity Democratic Organisation (Nudo), Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) and AR.
IPC, PDM and Nudo all denied Amupanda’s claim and new mayor Sade Gawanas is understood to have formally demanded that her predecessor provide proof of his claims.
The shortlisted candidates are Conrad Lutombi, Moses Matyayi, Eino Mvula, Joyce Mukubi and Charmill Zamuee. They were interviewed last October but no appointment has been made to date. The City has been without a substantive CEO for two years.
For years, opposition parties have accused Swapo of alienating technocrats who do not belong to that party.
‘Corrupt dealing’
Municipal sources told Namibian Sun this week that Amupanda told the 12 April council sitting: “I want to be on record that the reason why we did not appoint anyone is because the shortlisted candidates are seen to be aligned to Swapo”.
Amupanda allegedly read messages from a WhatsApp group titled ‘MC PF’ to substantiate his claims.
The ‘MC PF’ is a group which comprised of all parties that formed part of the previous City coalition.
Amupanda alleged that there was clear manipulation of the City of Windhoek CEO recruitment process, adding that his conscience cannot allow him to side with corrupt dealings.
With council set to meet later today to discuss the CEO appointment at a special council meeting, it remains to be seen whether Amupanda will back up his claims with proof. He promised to concretise his evidence in writing.
“I have said it in the meeting that I don’t want to be part of corruption. There were some flimsy reasons advanced such as grammar. There is actually no reason why it cannot go on, while we know for sure what the reasons are - it is because they are saying that the candidates are Swapo,” he told Namibian Sun yesterday.
“The discussion in general was that the coalition must get their own candidate, so they want to restart the process so they can get their own person. I cannot be party to this. IPC is trying to manipulate people.”
Rocky patch
The City’s deputy mayor Joseph Uapingene said it is unfortunate that Amupanda is revealing secrets now that he is ‘out of the marriage’ and accused him of disregarding the rule of politics by disrespecting the coalition caucus.
Uapingene, however, confirmed that they wanted to restart the process afresh - but not for the alleged reasons.
“That we have our own candidate is pure lies. The process to us was not done fairly and that was all there is to it, but the matter is still with the management committee and the council. I cannot dwell much on it until it is finalised,” he said.
PDM leader McHenry Venaani said: “PDM is no longer part of the City of Windhoek management committee and we wish the best candidate is recruited no matter what party they are aligned to”.
Management committee chairperson Ndeshihafela Larandja added: “Council staff matters are privileged and it would be unethical to discuss recruitment matters of any staff member with the public”.
Larandja, who serves on council on an IPC ticket, is one of those pushing for the selection process to be restarted. During the controversial council meeting, she told her colleagues “over my dead body, this process must be restarted”.
IPC, which has been leading the management committee since the start of the recruitment process, has since made a U-turn by criticising the very process it was spearheading.
Chief amongst the reasons behind the change of heart is that IPC felt then acting CEO George Mayumbelo was not supposed to form part of the shortlisting committee. Questions have also been raised as to why acting department of human capital and corporate services head Archie Nikanor was not part of the committee.
The management committee raised another red flag, saying: “The candidates who applied are not tallying since the long list of applicants provided by the department of human capital and corporate services indicated 61 applications; while 25 met the requirements of which only five are shortlisted, whereas the submission under discussion indicates 68 candidates.”
Asked to comment on the alleged political nepotism, Swapo chief whip at the City of Windhoek, Queen Kamati, said: “I cannot comment on this matter because it is still under council consideration”.
She added: “As Swapo Party, we believe all Namibians, regardless of their political affiliation, should enjoy equal access to opportunities”.
[email protected]
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