President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has appointed former University of Namibia (Unam) pro-vice chancellor for administration and finance, Boniface Mutumba, as adviser to minister of urban and rural development James Sankwasa.

Mutumba yesterday confirmed he was appointed on 1 September.

"I was appointed with specific terms of reference, of course, by the president to advise the minister on matters pertaining to regional and local governance in this country," he said.

Mutumba served as Bukalo Village Council acting chief executive in the Zambezi region in 2021.

He was arrested on charges under the Anti-Corruption Act 10 years ago and was found not guilty in January after standing trial in the Windhoek Regional Court.

Mutumba was arrested alongside Ruben Prinz. The duo stood trial on charges of corruptly using an office or position for gratification and corruptly using a false document.

The state at the time alleged that Prinz and Mutumba corruptly used their positions as Unam staff members in November 2013 by recommending that a contract for the construction of a new hostel for students at the university's Neudamm campus be awarded to the close corporation C and K Construction and Electrical at a cost of about N$16.2 million.

Prinz was Unam's acting director for estate services at the time.