New Windhoek CEO wants compulsory debit orders for Govt workers’ rates, taxes

During his public interview for the City of Windhoek’s chief executive officer (CEO) position, Moses Matyayi said he wants the government to implement a debit order for all public servants who have accounts with the municipality.

In 2021, Matyayi was interviewed along with Roads Authority chief executive officer Conrad Lutombi, deputy executive director for administration in the Ministry of Works and Transport, Joyce Mukubi, researcher and entrepreneur Charmill Zamuee, and NamWater executive Eino Mvula.

The city’s first option, Roads Authority CEO Conrad Lutombi, opted to stay in his current position.

Matyayi during his interview said with the government’s about 200 000 civil servants, the municipality should go to the government and tell it they want a deduction code for residents in the city who own property.

“. . . so they can be able to have it deducted from their salaries and so that money can come in and infuse some cash flow into our system.

“We would also like to engage intentionally to say . . . whether you like it or not, you will have to enter into a compulsory debit order with the city, because your behaviour affects our way of doing business,” he said during the interviews.

Matyayi said he wants the city to study the payment behaviour of residents and respond accordingly.

“. . . we want to actually just allow you to use what you can afford,” he said.

On housing, Matyayi said he wants to invoke the part of the Local Authorities Act which provides for the establishment of municipal housing funds, municipal housing schemes and loan schemes.

“Furthermore, what I also have learnt is that we have a good upgrading or housing upgrading development policy in the city, and that needs to actually just be reinforced.

“So within that we can touch on various aspects of different sectors of residents, those who have a high income level,” he said.

Matyayi said he believes the municipality should implement a decentralised bill for middle- and low-income earners.

“The conditions are there,” he said.

The municipality has struggled since 2020 to fill the CEO position after the resignation of former city head Robert Kahimise.
Matyayi did not respond to questions sent to him.

MATYAYI’S PAST

Last November, over a 100 Otjiwarongo municipality employees staged a peaceful demonstration, calling for Matyayi’s resignation.

The employees claimed he is autocratic and ignores their grievances.

In 2016, a whistleblower asked the then minister of urban and rural development to investigate Matyayi’s five-year contract extension, who at the time headed the Otavi Town Council.

The whistleblower accused Matyayi of unclear investments, the dubious allocation of land, tender irregularities, and preferential treatment in the employment processes at the council.