Andrew Kathindi, Rose-Mary Haufiku
Chief of Windhoek City Police, Abraham Kanime, has no plans reapplying for his position insisting he will honour his contract which ends on 23 April 2023.,
The recruitment process for the post has restarted after the court ruled that his current appointment was unlawful. “A contract is a contract. The Council can say, no let’s just end here or I can say I just want to end here. That is up to us the two parties. But the issue when you ask whether I am going to apply, apply to do what?”
“I retired, but they requested me to come back, then we agreed on three years until such a time that a substantive individual is identified. When you say a substantive there is no way to have another acting until such one is appointed. The contract is three years,” Kanime told the Windhoek Observer.
According to the acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Windhoek, George Mayumbelo, however, the Council of Windhoek’s Management Committee, at a meeting held on 16 March, resolved to activate the recruitment and selection process for the position of Head: City Police in accordance with the provisions of regulation 5(1) of the Regulations for the Municipal Police Services made under the Police Act of 1990.
This resolution was made in compliance with a court order relating to the matter and Council resolved to effect it by way of proceeding with the recruitment process and filling the position.
The court order comes after then PDM City of Windhoek councillor, Ignatius Semba, had filed an application with the High Court to have Kanime’s reappointment in April last year nullified.
“We are busy with that now. The process has already begun, and we aim to be done with this no later than September,” Mayumbelo told Windhoek Observer.
According to Mayumbelo, the committee will set up the requirements for the position and will select the most suitable candidate.
“There will be lots of applications. There will be many to choose from.”
When quizzed further, Mayumbelo was tight lipped if Kanime will have to apply like all other applicants for his position.
According to the Windhoek Municipal Police Service Regulations, the committee to oversee the appointment of the Head of City Police will contain two persons nominated by the Director-General of the Namibian Central Intelligence Service and appointed by the management committee; two persons nominated by the minister responsible for the Namibian Police and appointed by the management committee; two persons nominated by the minister responsible for the Namibian Defence Force and appointed by the management committee and the Head (Kanime), who may not be a part of the committee whenever his or her position is being discussed, in which case a person nominated by the CEO must sit in the place of the Head.
Kanime had resigned from his position in January 2020 but was subsequently called back by the previous council on a lucrative N$6 million contract. He has been Head of City Police since 2004 and helped found the division.
