Desie Heita
29 July 2008
Windhoek — The administration of Rehoboth town has gone paraplegic with the day-to-day management of the town virtually ineffective, while the head of executive and the management committee are locked in a tussle over political vanities.
Both parties confirmed to New Era yesterday that the working relationship between them has gone to the dogs, so gravely that both parties are currently managing the town, with each side pulling in the opposite direction.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Theo Jankowski, says the council is jumping the gun, implementing decisions without consultation on key management elements of policy and budget. Chairperson of the Management Committee, Councillor Innesencio Ihalwa, says the CEO is side stepping the resolution put forth by the council and, as a result, the council is forced to intervene to ensure that the resolutions are met.
"I will never allow 'Nyamu notes' in this town. We will chase him to leave Swapo. I do not want 'Nyamu notes,' over my dead body," says Ihalwa, with reference to the infamous notes of 2004 by the former Cabinet minister and Member of Parliament, Jesaya Nyamu, who scribbled notes on the way forward for those not happy within Swapo.
Jankowski says the accusations by his councillors deeply hurt him.
"I cannot take this lightly. It hurts me so much after what I sacrificed for Swapo Party, degraded and humiliated. I would never do anything to tarnish the image of my party. I am clean, " says Jankowski, adding: "I am in Swapo longer than Mr Ihalwa."
Jankowski says the council brush aside his calls for executive meetings to discuss critical management matters, telling him that such authority is with the council.
"They tell me a meeting would be called when they want to call for a meeting," says Jankowski, adding that the relationship "is bad and has impacted on the day-to-day management of the town."
"The relationship between the council and the CEO is gone. There are irreparable damages between the council and the management," says Ihalwa.
Yesterday councillors shunned a community demonstration saying it is a campaigning tactic by tribal leaders, together with Jankowski, which does not reflect the true views of all Rehoboth residents. Jankowski received the petition on behalf of the town council. Proof of Jankowski's involvement, says Ihalwa, is the demonstrators' placard that read: "Viva Theo".
The friction between the CEO and the council climaxed on Friday during a visit of Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) investigators, when, in a dramatic twist of events Jankowski laid a formal Police criminal charge against Ihalwa for abuse of a town council vehicle.
Ihalwa says he could not understand how the CEO, an employee, could charge the chairperson of the management committee, a position that makes him the de facto employer.
Jankowski, on the other hand, says Ihalwa deserves to be charged for abuse of vehicle, especially that he possesses neither a driver's licence, nor authorisation to drive town council vehicles.
"The decision to lay charges against Ihalwa was made with the consultation with both the investigator from the ACC, who was present, and the Police here in Rehoboth," said Jankowski.
The council says the demonstrations, such as this week's one, are campaigning tactics by certain individuals from Rehoboth's so-called Basters traditional leaders, the 'Kaptein Raad', together with Jankowski, to regain control of the region from the ruling party.
"Jankowski has political ambitions. He tried to run for Parliament in 2004 and lost. It all started there when people lost in the 2004 Swapo Party nominations. Disillusioned people left the party but others are still in there trying to destabilise the party from within. It is the 'Nyamu notes' at work.
Now Jankowski, Kaptein John McNab, and other leaders want to revive the Basters Ratepayers' Association for next election," said Ihalwa.
Jankowski said he is not in contact with any Baster Kaptein or leader of any other political party.
"I am Swapo, and I got this job with the involvement of Swapo. Why should I at the last minute want to change parties for a party that has no power," said Jankowski.
Jankowski said the community and the Kaptein have made it clear, themselves, that they are not in corroboration with him but they rather like his way of doing things.
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