Andrew Kathindi
The outgoing Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the City of Windhoek (CoW), Robert Kahimise says he may consider staying on as head of the municipality should council engage him, subject to certain conditions.
This follows media reports that stated that the Swapo Khomas regional executive committee was trying to get CoW councilors to convince Kahimise to stay on.
Quizzed on whether he would consider the opportunity to stay on should he be approached by Windhoek municipality councilors, the CEO left the door open.
“That depends. I’ve handed in my notice, I’m serving my notice up to end of October, then I leave the City. I have no idea what conditions are attached to the opportunity.”
Kahimise also denied allegations that he did not attend a disciplinary hearing which began on 12 October this month. “I was there. We were there with my council.”
The outgoing CEO is accused of misconduct including allegedly funding his studies at institutions in Israel and France without the council’s approval.
Windhoek Mayor Fransina Kahungu confirmed to Windhoek Observer that council had held a special council meeting on Friday 16 October, which included a topic of discussion around the CEO’s resignation, but said the item was not discussed.
“It’s true that there was a special council meeting. It deliberated other issues; however, council did not deliberate any issue related to the CEO,” the Mayor said.
She added that the item remains pending but was mum on the exact details of the topic.
“There is an item. The heading is resignation of Chief Executive Officer – unfortunately it’s not in front of me to read what was recommended by management committee.”
The Mayor was also mum when quizzed on whether she was aware about talk to keep the CEO beyond October. “I am not aware about that,” she said.
This come as Kahimise is set to leave CoW on October 31. He is set to join regional electricity distribution company, Central North Regional Electricity Distributor (CENORED).
Kahimise previously served as CEO of Erongo Red, another power utility company in the Erongo region from 2012 to 2016.
Chairperson of the CENORED Board, Moses Matyayi confirmed in August that Kahimise had accepted the offer to be its new CEO.
Kahimise was offered the top job at CENORED after a turbulent five years at the capital city’s municipality. The CEO recently spoke out about his time at the City, labeling the environment there as “toxic”.
