Walvis Bay mayor Trevino Forbes is facing scrutiny after allegedly claiming almost N$22 000 from the municipality for meals during a fully sponsored trip to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, last year.
The trip was allegedly also unauthorised.
According to council documents leaked to The Namibian, Forbes, who is also the deputy president of the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC), travelled to Ethiopia to attend the African Urban Forum from 4 to 6 September.
Ephraim Shozi, a Swapo councillor at Walvis Bay, wrote to Walvis Bay chief executive Victoria Kapenda questioning the justification of the mayor’s substantial claim of N$21 800.
Shozi’s letter was dated 20 November.
He wrote that Forbes’ trip was not approved by the minister of urban and rural development, Erastus Uutoni, as per the minister’s directive.
Shozi alleged in his letter that former Walvis Bay acting chief executive David Uushona requested ministerial approval for the mayor to undertake the trip.
The request was made on 28 August.
Shozi further alleged that Uushona claimed in his recommendation to the executive director of urban and rural development that the matter could only be discussed at a special meeting scheduled for 29 August due to time constraints.
He said the management committee recommended the mayor’s invitation to Ethiopia, subject to the minister’s approval.
Yet no special council meeting took place to consider the management committee’s recommendations as stated by Uushona in his letter to the executive director, he said.
Forbes allegedly travelled to Ethiopia four days before the meeting in Ethiopia.
In his letter, Shozi claimed that the trip was approved by the council on 8 October after the mayor had returned from Ethiopia.
“Although the trip was fully funded, the letter of request for ministerial approval contained a meal allowance claim amount of N$21 800 to be paid to the mayor as per council policy,” he wrote.
Shozi asked Kapenda what action would be taken against the finance manager who authorised and processed the mayor’s payment without the relevant documents required for payment.
“What actions will be taken against the acting chief executive [Uushona] for approving the travelling allowance and allowing the foreign trip without ministerial approval?
“What action will be taken against the chairperson of council [Forbes] for defying the ministerial directive on a foreign trip without ministerial approval?” he asked.
‘SOME UNPROCEDURAL THINGS’
However, Forbes responded to Shozi in a memo dated 3 December, saying: “There might have been some things that were unprocedural in how the trip to Ethiopia took place, but the fact remains that the trip was funded and the council only paid for meals.”
He also claimed there was “no time to have a council meeting as there was no quorum for such a meeting”.
Forbes said this was so because one councillor was not available while another one was on sick leave.
“The management committee gave principal approval that the mayor can undertake the trip, and it can then be condoned at an ordinary council meeting.
“Travelling without ministerial approval is not illegal as there is no law that dictates so. Acquiring ministerial approval is a principal act to let the minister know one is visiting a particular country for the sake of one’s safety,” Forbes wrote.
He added: “This is not the first time the minister has been defied, as last time he wrote to the council that only three councillors could travel to Cape Town, but this was defied and seven councillors undertook the trip at the council’s full expense.”
Forbes yesterday told The Namibian that the council asked the chief executive to look into the matter to see if there was any administrative wrongdoing so it could be rectified.
He also said the municipality’s spokesperson would respond in detail.
Kapenda yesterday said her office is currently investigating the matter.
“I am still busy with the investigation. We had a meeting last year. It was tabled, discussed and the decision was that my office should institute the investigation and verify the facts and then take the necessary actions where required.
“So, I am busy with that and we are head-on with it,” she said.
Kapenda said the findings of the investigation would be shared at the next council meeting next month.
Uutoni yesterday said he was not aware of the matter and that the mayor’s trip could have been approved by him, especially since it involved public funds.
Uushona could not be reach for comment yesterday.
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