Africa-Press – Namibia. TWO constituency councillors of Linyanti and Judea Lyamboloma constituencies in the Zambezi region have requested the Office of the Prime Minister to conduct a forensic audit into the region’s affairs.
In a three-page letter sent to prime minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila in October, the independent councillors Ivene Kabunga and Humphrey Divai requested the audit into the financial transactions of the regional council from 2016 to date.
Their letter comes weeks after The Namibian published an article about Warden Matengu Shimushi’s refusal to discuss motions around the alleged financial mismanagement by the regional council.
Kabunga and Divai also requested a thorough investigation into all capital projects from 1 January 2016 to date, as they believe that a number of projects were awarded by the chief regional officer, Regina Ndopu-Lubinda, without following the provisions of the Procurement Act.
“In most cases tenders are not advertised. The chief regional officer simply appoints a contractor of her choice without bidding. There are so many cases of this nature,” they said.
They singled out a N$468 271 tender for the procurement of services at Kongola, in which Ndopu-Lubinda allegedly authorised the contractor’s payment although no work has been done to date.
Kabunga and Divai also claim that the government lost millions during the construction of the regional council head office and the Kabbe North constituency office.
“In the case of the head office, a lot of work was simply given to companies without tendering. The Kabbe North constituency office was given to by a company called Swan, which failed to complete the work but was given the opportunity to subcontract,” said Kabunga and Divai.
They also claim that for the past six years the region has failed to appoint an audit committee, as per the requirements of the Office of the Auditor General.
In the letter the two accuse the regional chairperson of destroying the region by allowing corruption to thrive and protecting the chief regional officer, whom they accuse of failing in her duties and running the show at the council.
They also accuse Ndopu-Lubinda of never being available and as a result, council meetings could not take place for some months. Ndopu-Lubinda told The Namibian that her being absent should not stop councillors from holding meetings.
“Whether I am around or not, I am not a council member. No meeting can be stopped because the CRO is not in office,” she said.
The only time a meeting cannot be held is when the National Council is in session because three councillors from the region form part of it, she said.
Ndopu-Lubinda referred questions to the regional council chairperson, who did not respond at the time of going to print. Meanwhile, Kuugongelwa-Amadhila said the matter is being investigated by the Anti-Corruption Commission.
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