Africa-Press – Namibia. LAWYERS representing Namibia Sport Commission chief administrator Freddy Mwiya and minister of sport Agnes Tjongarero reached an out of court settlement on Friday, allowing Mwiya to remain in his position for the time being.
The parties agreed to a settlement preventing the minister from advertising Mwiya’s position until the court makes a decision on whether the minister can endorse Mwiya’s appointment outside what has been recommended to her by the board. The agreement between the two parties will be made an order of the court this morning.
After Friday’s ruling, Mwiya said he had faith Namibia’s judicial system.
“We are very happy that at least we’ve got a judicial system in our country and the lawyers representing the honourable minister and the advocate representing Freddy Mwiya came to a settlement agreement on the matter with which I am very impressed. My advocate’s settlement argument was accepted and now it will be made an order of court on Monday.
“So the information is that the post will never be advertised and Freddy Mwiya will remain in office, until such time as the court pronounces itself on it. It’s good that this country has got a justice system, so we will wait and see what transpires,” he said.
The out of court settlement court follows the dismissal of the entire Namibia Sport Commission board by Tjongarero on 24 May, ‘on account of deliberate insubordination and ignoring directives from the appointing authority, as well as a directive from the office of the attorney general.’
Mwiya did not want to comment on reports that the NSC board is now planning to take Tjongarero to court to fight against their dismissal.
“I can’t comment on that, that’s something that they have to do themselves, but for me as a Namibian, I have done my part, without any hatred, I’m just doing what is right,” he said.
Mwiya is fighting to retain his position after his term of office ended on 31 March. The board ignored Tjongarero’s instruction to advertise the position. Instead, the board extended Mwiya’s stay in an acting capacity with full benefits “until such time the matter regarding your condition of re-appointment is resolved.”
The board went one further last Monday when they handed Mwiya a tentative five-year contract effective 1 June 2022 to 31 May 2027.
Tjongarero summarily terminated the board after that move, given the issues of incessant corruption swirling around the commission.
The Namibian had previously reported that Mwiya’s remuneration package rose from N$753 000 annually to over N$1,2 million on 1 April 2018. On Friday, the Namibian reported that Mwiya’s bumper salary increase to N$1,2 million per annum was done without the approval from the sports, finance and public enterprises ministries, as required by relevant legislation.
Mwiya, however, reacted indignantly after Friday’s court interdict.
“The minister already wrote a letter concerning my salary, saying she was very happy about that salary and that I’m allowed to get it in terms of the public enterprise regulations.
“I’ve been wondering why people are still asking about the issue of my salary, after the minister condoned my salary. I could have taken people to court for that, but I did not want to do that, it must just become an issue of the past.
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