Conrad Lutombi has turned down the job at City of Windhoek where he was set to become the Chief Executive Officer, The Brief can reveal.
“I have done extensive consultations and have come to the conclusion that it will be best if I stay where I am, execute and complete my outstanding tasks,” he told The Brief.
Lutombi is the current CEO of Roads Authority, where his contract is reported to have now been extended beyond September 2023 when it was due to expire and will now run until his retirement.
“The offer is good, but after thorough consideration I have decided not to accept the offer,” he said without delving further into details.
According to reports Lutombi was offered a package of N$3.7 million per annum that translates to a monthly salary of roughly N$300,000.
It is not clear whether the second-best performer during the interview process – Otjiwarongo Municipality CEO Moses Matyayi – will be offered the top job or the recruitment process will be restarted.
Lutombi scored highest during the interview process for the top position and the municipality endorsed his appointment last month, with Minister of Urban and Rural Development Erastus Uutoni having approved his appointment, in line with the requirements of the Local Authorities Act.
The development comes as the municipality on Friday announced the appointment of Fanuel Maanda, Strategic Executive for Housing, Property Management and Human Settlement as acting CEO.
George Mayumbelo, the Strategic Executive for the Human Capital and Corporate Services Department who recently went into retirement had been acting CEO since last month after taking over from O’Brien Hekandjo who was acting CEO from 16 August 2022 until 8 November 2022.
The Windhoek municipality has been operating without a substantive CEO since the resignation of Robert Kahimise in 2020, who joined CENORED after a four-year tenure at the helm of the municipality.