Goverment housing ‘chaotic’

VARIOUS public service managers and political appointees in the Kavango Region are accused of occupying State-owned houses despite receiving ‘hefty’ housing allowances from Government.

A source at Rundu, preferring anonymity for fear of reprisal, maintained that there is a perpetual shortage of government accommodation for public officials, and especially newly appointed staff, despite ample availability of State-owned houses. ‘The Ministry of Works completely failed to control the situation in terms of allocating government houses to staff members and completely failed to control and monitor the situation. Honestly, the situation is a mess. For instance, private people who do not work in government still live in government houses,’ the source said. ‘We cannot suffer living in shacks while we are working for the government but those who are no longer government officials and political appointees stay in those houses. It’s really unfair and highly corrupt.’ The source said those occupying government housing irregularly include the regional director of education, Alfons Dikuua, regional director of health, Elizabeth Muremi, Kavango chief regional officer Sebastian Kantema’s daughter, who reportedly works in Swakopmund but occupies a government house, Kavango regional council director of finances Ludwig Thikusho, Mpungu constituency councillor Esra Kakukura, Muronga Asser, Elfriede Kalira, former Rundu town clerk Lucas Muhepa, and former Kavango governor John Thighuru. Also mentioned is former Deputy Minister of Information and Communication Technology Raphael Dinyando, who is now the Namibian ambassador to Austria. According to information made available to The Namibian, Dikuua lives in a government house while his wife, a nurse, has bought a house with a government subsidy. Dinyando is said to have asked a relative to look after the government house when he took up the foreign posting.The Ministry of Works and Transport said Thighuru, Muremi, and Kalira are no longer living in government houses. The ministry said Dikuua, Thikusho, Dinyando, and Kantema were allocated official accommodation when they were still occupying positions below management level. It said Dikuua, Thikusho, Dinyando, and Kantema have indicated interest in participating in the government’s alienation scheme and are currently paying market-related rent until the transfers are concluded. ‘Should anyone falling in this category not be up to date with their payments, the ministry will follow it up and correct the irregularities,’ the ministry stated. As Kakukuru is a councillor in Mphungu constituency, the ministry said, the government house is in the name of his wife who is a public servant. There is a provision that should a public servant terminate his/her duties, the official accommodation can be transferred to the spouse if the latter is also in the public service. Former Rundu town clerk Lucas Muhepa, the ministry said, is not living in a government house but in a council house despite the fact that he no longer works at the council. Asser has resigned from government employment, although he was considering buying the government house under the alienation scheme.Under the scheme a civil servant can buy a State-owned house even after retirement, provided that the person indicated his willingness to buy the property while still a tenant and in service at the time, the ministry explained. In the case of Asser, the ministry said, it would not be possible. ‘The Housing Rules and Procedures are clear on this, stating that once a staff member resigned from the public service, he forfeited the privilege to occupy and/or buy official accommodation after resignation.’ The ministry will follow up this matter, it stated. Cabinet resolved in 1998 and 1999 that some government houses will be sold to existing tenants. However, the Works Ministry said, not all government houses at Rundu were registered as State property and this delayed the alienation process at the town.