Anna Ingwafa
3 July 2008
Oshakati — The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has received a letter detailing allegations of misappropriation of public funds at the Oshana Regional Council, ACC Deputy Director, Erna van der Merwe, confirmed in an interview yesterday.
In a letter dated June 24, 2008 copied to New Era and addressed to the ACC, a concerned member of the public accuses the Oshana Regional Council and suggests that council should seriously investigate the Oshana Regional Governor, Clemens Kashuupulwa, and its Chief Regional Officer, Johannes Kandombo, and other officials.
The allegations levelled against council range from the recruitment of a personal assistant and a driver to the Office of the Regional Governor, which, according to the letter, was done corruptly as no advertisement and interviews were ever done.
It also says though N$2000 was allegedly stolen from the council's coffers by an assistant accountant, strangely the case has not yet been reported to the police for investigation.
The letter states that the Governor's official car was involved in an accident at around midnight but the damage was not reported to the police and that after the incident, the Governor received a new car. Although in possession of a new car, the governor does not want to surrender the old car.
The letter further alleges that the governor is forcing the council to appoint a deputy director for human resources to the position of director of administration.
Another allegation forwarded to the ACC is that the regional council apparently spent over N$14 million on the Uukwangula Sports Complex.
Responding to the alleged corrupt practices at the council, Kashuupulwa told New Era that the Oshana Regional Council welcomes the ACC to carry out its national duty.
Kashuupulwa says the allegation that the recruitment of a personal assistant and a driver to the governor's office was done corruptly, is unfounded and groundless.
He said in terms of a memo issued on November 22, 2007 by the Ministry of Regional and Local Government, Housing and Rural Development that was sent to all regional councils, he was authorised and given carte blanche to fill the posts of personal assistant and driver in the office of the governor.
He said this letter came into force on December 1, 2007.
"The funding for these posts was provided for from our savings for the remaining period of the 2007/8 financial year because of the urgency of the matter. Regional councils were instructed that these posts are contractual posts and should be treated as such. This means that the recruitment of the personal assistant and driver to the governor, in terms of existing government policy, does not necessarily require that the posts be advertised, the same way that vacant posts of personal assistants and drivers to political office bearers are filled as such posts are entry posts and the incumbents are on contract at par with the contracts of the political office bearer," he explained.
He is adamant that the incumbents met the minimum requirements and were recruited in accordance with laid down procedures and they are linked to the contract of the governor. Approval was granted by the line ministry to commence with the recruitment of the two staff members and it was not necessary to place an advertisement, he said.
"This is the same standard used in recruiting personal assistants to other political office bearers who are equally on contracts," he said.
On the issue of the assistant accountant having allegedly stolen money from the council's coffers, Kashuupulwa noted that the regional council discovered the theft of N$2326.10 from the coffers of the council within its finance office.
The theft prompted the chief regional officer to appoint an internal committee in terms of the Public Service Act to investigate the matter and report back to him. The investigations, according to the governor, found prima facie evidence of a major offence of theft that warranted the charge of misconduct against the staff member.
"The matter was reported to the police in accordance with treasury instruction. The staff member has already paid back the full amount and the police advised the council to pursue the matter internally as the money had all been recovered. Early this year, the staff member was charged with misconduct and the council has forwarded the case to the Public Service Commission via our line ministry. We are still waiting for the recommendation of the Public Service Commission," stated Kashuupulwa.
With regard to the Government car and in particular to the allegation that the car allocated to the governor was bumped at midnight and its mega rims damaged, the governor denied the allegation saying that it is a figment of the aggrieved public member's imagination and the claim should be dismissed with the contempt it deserves.
"There is no truth in the allegations that the governor is using the GRN Toyota Camry instead of the allocated Toyota Prado because as per Oshana Regional Council Regional Resolution, the GRN Toyota Camry has been allocated to the governor to use when his GRN Toyota Prado is in the garage for service or when he uses it on official short trips where it is not feasible to use a bigger car," explained the Oshana Regional Governor.
On the filling of the post of director of human resources, finance and administration at the Oshana Regional Council, the governor defended the appointment of Josephat Sinvula. He explained that the position became vacant after the incumbent resigned. The post was advertised and the short-listed candidates were called in for interview.
According to Kashuupulwa, of the four short-listed out of 19 candidates, Josephat Sinvula, deputy director of human resources management and Albertina Aipinge, deputy director of administration and two others from Karas Regional Council and Namprint were interviewed and Sinvula got the highest marks.
He was nominated by the interviewing panel for the post of director of human resources, finance and administration because of his qualifications and experience and taking into account he has been acting in the post since it became vacant.
Kashuupulwa alleged that for reasons of sheer tribalism and unpatriotic tendencies of a particular candidate, a campaign was lodged to derail the entire recruitment process.
"The aggrieved candidate even went as far as the Public Service Commission in Windhoek for the commission not to recommend the highest scorer to the post because he resigned from Home Affairs 10 years ago due to misconduct levelled against him and that the said candidate would resign from the Public Service if the post was given to the highest scorer of the interview," said Kashuupulwa.
He said the Public Service Commission queried the criteria used to disqualify other candidates and noted that council disqualified the others because item 11 on the employment forms was not completed.
The Public Service Commission advised the regional council to re-advertise the post with specific minimum requirements plus other requirements.
"Oshana Regional Council wholeheartedly welcomed Sinvula to take up his post knowing full well about his unfortunate situation while he was employed as an Under Secretary at Home Affairs. If we had an axe to grind with him, we could have done so and would not have accepted him. He served his dues by staying more than five years out of the Public Service. There are so many similar cases of people who, after leaving the Public Service - some even under dubious circumstances - are back in the Public Service occupying senior positions," he said.
He said that Oshana Regional Council is satisfied with Sinvula's performance and competence. Council does not make any apologies about his appointment.
"The question that the Governor is insisting on his 'preferred candidate' is irrelevant, unfounded and illogical as I am neither a member of the interviewing panel nor the recruitment committee of the Oshana Regional Council," he said.
On the issue of Uukwangula Sport Stadium, Kashuupulwa noted that the management committee and full council approved the project. A resolution was passed and endorsed by the MRLGHRD.
"The allegations mentioned in the letter by the so-called public member are hog wash, fabricated, unfounded, a total lie and must be dismissed and condemned with the contempt they deserve."
Kashuupulwa pointed out that it is not the so-called public member that knows what is going on in the council. The whistle blower, according to the governor, is in fact a disgruntled staff member of the Oshana Regional Council.
"The said staff member is a self-styled liar who has become a liability to the council and is so frustrated that the person has found it convenient to use the Anti-Corruption Commission to engage in character assassination against the Oshana Regional Council and innocent fellow staff members to achieve hidden agendas," Kashuupulwa hit out.
Van der Merwe said because ACC has a backlog on cases, the commission has not given this complaint any attention but that it will in due course.
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