The Municipality of Outjo this week voted unanimously to renew the employment contract of the town’s long-serving Chief Executive Officer for a further 5 years before re-advertising the post.

The CEO’s current contract ends in December and was placed on the agenda at Tuesday’s Council meeting as per the Local Authority Act of 1992 which stipulates that CEO posts must be advertised or renewed six months before the current term comes to an end.

The renewal of Joseph /Urib’s contract has been received with mixed emotions by a number of vocal Outjo residents who claim that over the fifteen years that he has been at the helm of the town’s municipality, the CEO has not delivered in terms of development and they allege that they are languishing as a result of poor service-delivery.

They are of the opinion that Outjo has seen no development under the administrative leadership of the current CEO, citing lack of infrastructure and new businesses willing to invest in the town. Outjo currently has only one supermarket that caters to a population of over 12 400 residents.

“The truth behind his post must be revealed soon. He can be the CEO for years and we don’t even see any development in the town. Let the post be advertised, so that we can get fresh minds and new developmental ideas,” a letter of grievances reads.

/Urib refused to comment and referred Informanté to the Mayor of Outjo, Kleophas Geingob, who confirmed the renewal of    /Urib’s contract as the town’s chief executive for another 5 years, following a unanimous decision of 6 votes in favour out of a total of 7 Council members.

According to Mayor Geingob, the decision to stick with /Urib is based purely on performance and he claimed that it is in line with Council’s plans to allow the CEO to complete the developmental plans he has already set in motion, instead of advertising the position.

Amongst the projects the chief executive is said to have initiated is the building of a N$15 million tourism centre, made possible through partial funding from the Namibia Development Corporation and the Ministry of Trade and Industry, in addition to the building of Outjo’s first shopping complex. “Both projects are currently underway and should be completed within three months” says Geingob.

Informanté is however reliably informed that the so-called shopping complex is actually an extension on the town’s existing supermarket. “That is a private business investment and not a Council initiative. How do the masses benefit from that?” one Outjo resident asked.

The Mayor reports that the CEO is currently also in talks with the Deeds Office in the Ministry of Lands and Resettlement to register 60 business and residential plots in the Etoshapoort settlement on the outskirts of town.