Allexer Namundjembo
The former members of the Engineering Council of Namibia (ECN) are challenging the authority of works and transport minister Veikko Nekundi over his decision to dissolve the Council.
In a letter addressed to Nekundi over the weekend, the former board called the dismissal “unlawful”, “humiliating”, and “a threat to the country’s regulatory integrity”.
They said the decision was procedurally flawed and carried out through irregular channels.
“The Council appointed in August 2022 was constituted in accordance with the Engineering Profession Act, and no legal ground for our removal has been invoked,” said ECN’s former president, Sophia Belete-Tekie.
According to the former members, the ministry did not issue the termination letters directly. Instead, they say the letters were circulated by the Council’s registrar, an official they say is facing serious allegations of misconduct.
“The decision to consider dissolving the Council without properly investigating the serious allegations raised against the Registrar, undermines the legal safeguards established by the act,” the letter reads.
The Council accuses the registrar of forging professional registration documents, paying himself unauthorised salaries, tampering with the ECN database, and misrepresenting his position as CEO when he is legally only the registrar.
The allegations are supported by financial records, legal documents, and Council minutes, according to the former members.
“Forgery related to his claimed Professional Engineer registration, unlawful overtime payments of over N$101,000, and a forged employment contract were among the serious acts uncovered.”
The Council says a disciplinary hearing into the registrar lasted 14 months and confirmed the allegations.
However, the ruling was dismissed on technical grounds due to the ministry’s failure to gazette the Council, despite over N$800,000 in state spending on the case.
“Despite the thorough process and the Council’s commitment to justice, the ruling was not in our favour due to the Ministry’s failure to gazette the Council,” the letter states.
The letter also highlights concerns over registration fraud under the previous Council (2018–2022), including duplicate certificate numbers, missing documentation, and unverified credentials that may pose risks to public safety.
A forensic audit to verify these registrations remains incomplete, allegedly due to obstruction.
“Unverified credentials may compromise infrastructure safety and national development efforts,” Belete-Tekie said.
She added that the Council continued to operate under difficult, unrewarded conditions and achieved several milestones, including restoring financial reporting systems and audit compliance for 2019 and 2020.
“Despite the challenges faced by some Council members due to the support of the Registrar, the Council has managed to do all operational activities with sacrifice and integrity.”
The former members are calling on the incoming Council to act independently, investigate the registrar through the High Court or Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), suspend irregular programme approvals, and implement a secure digital records system.
They also urged that future appointments be made in strict accordance with the act and that consultations on the new Engineering Bill be expanded.
The letter was signed by Belete-Tekie and four other former Council members.
It was copied to the Office of the President, the Prime Minister, the Attorney General, and relevant engineering institutions.
On Friday, Nekundi dismissed several ECN members with immediate effect.
The ministry issued a public statement on Thursday evening confirming the decision and announcing that a new board would be appointed.
The ministry stated that the minister has the authority to appoint and remove Council members.
Officials have started the process of identifying replacements.
No reasons were given for the decision, and the ministry has yet to respond to the matter.
It said new appointments would be made in due course.
