WINDHOEK – Three councillors at City of Windhoek have dismissed claims that unqualified relatives were recruited in City Police with their assistance. At a press conference last week, Nudo City representative Josef Kauandenge availed a list of 11names of people allegedly related to ruling party Swapo councillors employed in the Windhoek City Police.

The 11 did not meet the basic requirements to occupy such jobs, the opposition representatives claimed. Kauandenge held a conference with fellow opposition councillors Ignatius Semba and Brunhilde Cornelius of PDM and RDP respectively.

The trio said the list of unqualified people in City Police will form part of the motion of no confidence to be tabled before the management committee when council resumes later this month.
The opposition councillors claimed some of the people on the list are directly linked to former management committee
chairperson Mathew Amadhila, councillors Fransina Kahungu and Matrid Ukeva, as well as i nc umb e nt mana g eme nt
committee chairperson Agatha Iyambo Ashilelo.

The opposition representatives said they were not against any person who meets the requirements to be employed
at the City but have serious reservations when it comes to those who are employed because they are related to certain
councillors and did not meet the requirements.

They added that they brought up this issue in the context of City Police Chief Abraham Kanime who is on  suspension. When contacted for comment, Ukeva said Othilia Shilengudwa, her daughter, was employed in
2014 and has 30 points in Grade 12 and an honours degree in  policing and criminal justice from the then Polytechnic of Namibia, now Nust.

“Why does she need to be recruited back door if she qualifies,” Ukeva wanted to know. She contends that her daughter
was not employed because she [Ukeva] is a City councillor but on her own merits. “If you want [to see] the
qualifications, I am free to provide them,” Ukeva insisted. Kahungu told New Era that Absalom Kahungu, also employed
in City Police, is her uncle’s son but she has nothing to do with his recruitment in the force.

“If Absalom comes here now, I won’t know its him if he doesn’t introduce himself. I have only seen him about three times,” Kahungu said. Councillor Ashilelo said Iyambo Eliaser, a member of the force, is not her relative as claimed
by the opposition. “There are many Iyambos. Are they saying the late Abraham Iyambo is my relative?” she asked.
She added that Eliaser joined City Police before she even become a councillor. “They must give us proof [of wrongdoing],”
she demanded. Amadhila was not reachable for comment.