Henties Mayor objects to CEO appointment

THE re-election of Henties Bay CEO Pieter Gurirab has set the cat among the political pigeons, with the Mayor set to challenge the appointment this week.

Gurirab was ensured a second five-year term after he was voted into office by four votes to three last week. Henties Bay Mayor Paulus Tangeni Iimbambah has called a press conference for Wednesday.He says he will object to Gurirab’s reappointment, which he claims was due to “political interference”.The three Civic councillors and the only UDF councillor, Lena //Hoëses, voted for Gurirab’s reappointment.//Hoëses, Chairperson of the Council’s Management Committee, was arrested in June for allegedly committing an offence listed under the Anti-Corruption Act.Civic representative Anna Hamutenya was arrested on the same charge.Both councillors received an advance of N$1 772 to participate in the Northern Railway Project in May, but could not attend.They had paid the money back in instalments by June 4, but were arrested that same evening.The ACC’s involvement in the case raised eyebrows around the country, with many Namibians questioning the ACC’s priorities, and why people were being arrested as they had paid back the money as it had not been used.Political interference was alleged to be behind the action.It also led people to query the motivation of the ACC, given that its two top officials – Paulus Noa and Erna van der Merwe – had received hefty double salaries, which they are paying back in instalments.Allegations were made that Mayor Imbambah had the two investigated and arrested because they allegedly would not allow him to use a Council vehicle.Imbambah denied the allegation, claiming that he had nothing to do with the investigation by the Anti-Corruption Commission.In an earlier interview with The Namibian, however, Imbambah claimed that there had been corruption in the Henties Bay Council.Still, the two Henties officials appeared in the Swakopmund Magistrate’s Court on a charge of “corruptly using office or position for gratification”, which is listed as an offence under the Anti-Corruption Act.The case was postponed until October 2.On Friday, Imbambah said the UDF-Swapo coalition in the Council appeared to have broken down because of the ACC investigation.This was why the UDF councillors voted for Gurirab while the three Swapo councillors voted against him, he said.Imbambah admitted that there was nothing he could do about the outcome of the vote, but claimed that it was the result of political interference.He alleged that Gurirab had intimidated the UDF and Civic councillors, stating that if they did not want to be “arrested” by Swapo, they had to make sure that he (Gurirab) remained as the CEO.”We don’t want him as CEO.He does not deserve this position.When your term is ended, it is ended,” said Imbambah.The Namibian tried to contact Gurirab for comment, but he was not available.Other sources at Henties Bay told The Namibian that there never seemed to have been a problem with Gurirab during his first five years as CEO, but since the ACC issue, a schism had developed between Damara-speaking and Oshiwambo-speaking politicians at the town.Henties Bay Mayor Paulus Tangeni Iimbambah has called a press conference for Wednesday.He says he will object to Gurirab’s reappointment, which he claims was due to “political interference”.The three Civic councillors and the only UDF councillor, Lena //Hoëses, voted for Gurirab’s reappointment.//Hoëses, Chairperson of the Council’s Management Committee, was arrested in June for allegedly committing an offence listed under the Anti-Corruption Act.Civic representative Anna Hamutenya was arrested on the same charge.Both councillors received an advance of N$1 772 to participate in the Northern Railway Project in May, but could not attend.They had paid the money back in instalments by June 4, but were arrested that same evening. The ACC’s involvement in the case raised eyebrows around the country, with many Namibians questioning the ACC’s priorities, and why people were being arrested as they had paid back the money as it had not been used.Political interference was alleged to be behind the action.It also led people to query the motivation of the ACC, given that its two top officials – Paulus Noa and Erna van der Merwe – had received hefty double salaries, which they are paying back in instalments.Allegations were made that Mayor Imbambah had the two investigated and arrested because they allegedly would not allow him to use a Council vehicle.Imbambah denied the allegation, claiming that he had nothing to do with the investigation by the Anti-Corruption Commission.In an earlier interview with The Namibian, however, Imbambah claimed that there had been corruption in the Henties Bay Council.Still, the two Henties officials appeared in the Swakopmund Magistrate’s Court on a charge of “corruptly using office or position for gratification”, which is listed as an offence under the Anti-Corruption Act.The case was postponed until October 2.On Friday, Imbambah said the UDF-Swapo coalition in the Council appeared to have broken down because of the ACC investigation.This was why the UDF councillors voted for Gurirab while the three Swapo councillors voted against him, he said.Imbambah admitted that there was nothing he could do about the outcome of the vote, but claimed that it was the result of political interference.He alleged that Gurirab had intimidated the UDF and Civic councillors, stating that if they did not want to be “arrested” by Swapo, they had to make sure that he (Gurirab) remained as the CEO.”We don’t want him as CEO.He does not deserve this position.When your term is ended, it is ended,” said Imbambah.The Namibian tried to contact Gurirab for comment, but he was not available.Other sources at Henties Bay told The Namibian that there never seemed to have been a problem with Gurirab during his first five years as CEO, but since the ACC issue, a schism had developed between Damara-speaking and Oshiwambo-speaking politicians at the town.