The City of Windhoek has announced the reappointment of Faniel Maanda as acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for a further six-month period, effective from March 8, 2023, until September 8, 2023, or until a substantive CEO is appointed.
Maanda, who currently serves as the Strategic Executive for the Housing, Property Management, and Human Settlement Department, was first appointed as acting CEO in December 2022 after Conrad Lutombi, the CEO of the Roads Authority, declined the top job at the municipality.
The Windhoek municipality has been operating without a substantive CEO since the resignation of Robert Kahimise in 2020, after a four-year tenure at the helm of the municipality. Despite a rigorous recruitment process, the municipality has been unable to appoint a permanent CEO, leaving Maanda to continue in his acting capacity.
The municipality has yet to decide on the next steps for appointing a substantive CEO. The second-best performer during the interview process, Moses Matyayi, CEO of the Otjiwarongo Municipality, may be offered the top job, or the recruitment process may be restarted.
The appointment of a substantive CEO is crucial for the City of Windhoek, as the CEO is responsible for managing the municipality’s affairs, implementing council resolutions, and ensuring the delivery of quality services to the city’s residents.
With the city’s growing population and increasing demand for services, a substantive CEO is needed to provide strategic leadership and ensure the municipality’s continued growth and development.
Maanda’s reappointment as acting CEO provides continuity and stability for the municipality, allowing for the smooth running of day-to-day operations until a substantive CEO is appointed. However, it remains to be seen how long the municipality will take to make a final decision on the CEO appointment and whether Maanda will continue to act as CEO beyond September 2023.
