Patience Makwele
Urban and rural development minister James Sankwasa has approved the suspension of Katima Mulilo Raphael Liswaniso with full pay.
A ministerial letter confirms the approval was granted under the Local Authorities Act and takes immediate effect.
The decision comes after the Labour Court of Namibia ordered Liswaniso’s reinstatement last Friday in a separate matter linked to his suspension.
That earlier suspension, effected on 28 October last year, was challenged through arbitration.
The ruling found it was procedurally unfair. It said Liswaniso was not notified, was not warned and was not informed of the charges. The arbitrator ordered his reinstatement and payment of lost income.
In a telephonic interview with the Windhoek Observer on Monday, Liswaniso confirmed that he had seen the latest ministerial approval but questioned the procedural basis of the suspension.
“I was not warned,” he said, adding that he would continue to challenge the decision through legal channels.
Liswaniso further indicated that the suspension process remains under dispute, suggesting that the decision is likely to be contested on procedural grounds similar to the previous arbitration case.
Liswaniso said the same concerns apply to the new suspension.
He said the minister [Sankwasa] acted on a council recommendation.
“It is a recommendation from the council to the minister. The minister is acting on that recommendation, not just acting on his own,” he said.
Liswaniso said he learnt about the decision through informal channels before receiving official communication.
“It has already been on social media,” he said.
The council had earlier suspended Liswaniso without pay pending an internal investigation.
He was later charged with 44 counts of misconduct under Section 29(6)(a) of the Local Authorities Act and the council’s personnel rules. He has appeared before a disciplinary hearing, but the outcome has not been made public.
The suspension follows ongoing governance issues at the Katima Mulilo Town Council.
In August last year, Sankwasa dissolved the council after citing maladministration and failure to follow directives.
The council has since faced repeated leadership changes and disciplinary action involving senior officials.
The current dispute revolves around the execution of the suspension and its compliance with legal and procedural standards.
The council may face financial pressure as it continues to pay Liswaniso during the suspension and cover legal costs linked to the dispute.
It remains unclear if the council will restart disciplinary action in a way that meets legal requirements.
The acting chief executive, Kabende Kabende, did not respond to questions by the time of publication.
