City of Windhoek – Windhoek Observer

16 Sep

Windhoek residents file lawsuit over water and electricity disconnections

Hertta-Maria Amutenja Several Windhoek residents have filed legal action against the City of Windhoek, accusing the local authority of wrongful disconnection of water and electricity services. According to the residence, this is done without prior notice and with improper billing practices. According to court documents, the residents, including occupiers of properties across Katutura, claim that the city has unlawfully cut off basic services, despite some of them utilising pre-paid systems or making efforts to settle outstanding bills. Katutura resident, Elizabeth Beukes claims her water and electricity were disconnected in November 2023 due to alleged arrears of over N$400 000. The…

23 Jul

LPM exonerates Gawanas from double dipping….blames CoW ambiguous policies

ObserverNational NewsCity of Windhoek, LPM exonerates Gawanas from double dipping….blames CoW ambiguous policies, Sade Gawanas

Obrein Simasiku The Landless People’s Movement that has shown intolerance to the breaking of rules, especially when it comes to favouritism and nepotism, is now turning a blind eye to wrong doing which favoured one of its own. Windhoek mayor, Sade Gawanas, serving on the LPM ticket on the council has been the subject of accusations of double dipping which is benefitting from generous transport allowance while having full-time use to an official vehicles of the City of Windhoek. The public has condemned Gawanas, but the municipality’s management committee has ignored the ratepayers and rewarded her with a N$9 500…

20 Jul

Municipal bus fares to increase

ObserverNational News2022/23 financial year., City of Windhoek, Municipal bus fares to increase

Martin Endjala The City of Windhoek has announced that it will be increasing its municipal bus fares effective from the 1st August 2022 in line with the government gazette 7843 N258-286 and the city of Windhoek tariffs for the 2022/23 financial year. This was confirmed by the administrative officer and acting accountant financial and administrative officer at the department of Urban and Transport Planning Anneline Gases today in conversations with Windhoek Observer. Smart card fare is expected to increase from its current N$7.50 by N$1.00, which translate into N$8.50 per trip. While Cash fare is expected to increase from its…

09 Oct

CoW Public Interviews for Strategic Executive done and dusted

ObserverObserver MoneyCity of Windhoek, Namibia Development Corporation

Tujoromajo Kasuto The City of Windhoek today hosted public presentations for candidates shortlisted for the position of Strategic Executive: Economic Development and Community Services, candidates were given 30 minutes to prepare a presentation on a strategy to ensure the provision of continued sustainable and equitable services to the residents without further burdening the organization financially given that predominantly the department focuses on social services. The five candidates shortlisted from a total 52 applications which were received for this position are Head of Public Sector Banking at First National Bank of Namibia Leslie Puriza, James Kalundu, Cow Health and Environment manager…

03 Oct

CoW increases electricity tariff by 2%

ObserverObserver MoneyCity of Windhoek, Harold Akwenye

Tujoromajo Kasuto City of Windhoek Spokesperson, Harold Akwenye, has confirmed that the city has increased electricity tariff by two percent effective October saying the increment was approved last week by the Government. Akwenye notes that the increment is subsequent to NamPower’s bulk tariff increase earlier in the year and subsequently the city is only following suit as they buy electricity from NamPower as a consumer and they too have to increase their tariff to enable them to still buy from the distributor. “NamPower increased their tariff for almost the past three months and we have been paying at that rate,…

17 Sep

CoW CEO interviews not public . . . 61 apply and five shortlisted for top job

ObserverObserver MoneyActing Windhoek CEO George Muyumbelo, City of Windhoek, Namwater

Eba Kandovazu THE City of Windhoek yesterday announced that it had received a total of 61 applications for the Chief Executive Officer’s job, but only five candidates were shortlisted. These are Otjiwarongo Municipality CEO Moses Matyayi, Deputy Executive Director at the Ministry of Works and Transport Joyce Mukubi, Chief Business Unit Executive at NamWater Eino Mvula, Researcher Charmill Zamuee and Roads Authority CEO Conrad Lutombi. Acting Windhoek CEO George Muyumbelo said in a statement that interviews will take place between 27-28 September 2021, adding that public presentations by the candidates will be livestreamed although the structured Interviews are to be…

08 Sep

City of Windhoek hunting for CEO

ObserverObserver MoneyChief Executive Officer, City of Windhoek, City Police Chief Abraham Kanime, Robert Kahimise

Kandjemuni Kamuiiri THE City of Windhoek is compiling a shortlist of candidates for the vacant Chief Executive Officer (CEO)’s position. Interestingly former CEO, Robert Kahimise, who quit the job to join the Central North Regional Electricity Distributor (CENORED), thereby creating the vacancy, has also reportedly been shortlisted. Another aspiring returnee to municipality employment is former City Police Chief Abraham Kanime, who has a pending case in court for his return to his old job. Ironically Kanime and Kahimise had an acrimonious relationship during their previous tenures at the council. Council Spokesperson, Harold Akwenye, informs the Windhoek Observer that the applications…

16 Aug

Council to revive Ramatex Covid-19 project

ObserverObserver MoneyCity of Windhoek, Covid-19, Dr Kalumbi Shangula, Mayor Job Amupanda, Minister of Health and Social Services, president Dr Hage Geingob

Staff Writer A DAY after the coalition of political parties that runs the city Council of Windhoek signed a cooperation agreement, Mayor Job Amupanda has announced that the council will turn part of Ramatex complex into a Covid-19 facility. This is despite Minister of Health and Social Services, Dr Kalumbi Shangula shoting down the idea this June as not viable or sustainable. In a social media post this morning, Amupanda wrote: “Inform president Dr Hage Geingob, as he prepares his Covid-19 address that the City of Windhoek leadership last night took a decision that Ramatex will now have a Covid-19…

31 Mar

Windhoek budgets N$350m for cycle lanes … Electric cars not a priority

ObserverObserver MoneyCity of Windhoek, City Spokesperson, Harold Akwenye, Ministry of Urban and Rural Development, Ministry of Works and Transport (MWT)

Kandjemuni Kamuiiri The City of Windhoek plans to implement bicycle lanes within the City at an estimated cost of N$350 million for Phase 1. The Windhoek Observer can reveal the development will now make bicycle lanes compulsory for all newly constructed roads moving forward. “Since the City developed the non-motorised transport (NMT) strategy, there is a condition that says ensure that NMT requirements are incorporated in all new developments; private sector and public sector projects alike. Each road within the City should include cycling lanes, going forward,” City Spokesperson, Harold Akwenye, said. The plan, which falls in line with plans…

03 Mar

Residents owe CoW N$1 billion

ObserverObserver MoneyCity of Windhoek, Covid-19, Job Amupanda

Andrew Kathindi The City of Windhoek’s (CoW) debts currently stand at around N$ 1 billion, Mayor, Job Amupanda, has revealed on Tuesday. The debt, according to the Mayor, was around N$800 to N$900 million in early 2020, and moved to slightly above N$1 billion when COVID-19 hit to slightly below a billion when restrictions eased. “The City has not been spared by the negative impact of COVID-19, and our debts has drastically increased by N$150 million since the state of emergency was first announced in March 2020. At that point and time, we could not disconnect services for our residents…