Hijarunguru’s defiance comes to an end

GOVERNMENT and Agribank on Friday confirmed that Tjeripo Hijarunguru is no longer the Chief Executive Officer of the farmers’ bank In a joint press statement, Government and Agribank apologised to the public for the “unfortunate events” at the bank over the past two weeks.

The statement from the Agribank Board, Minister of Agriculture and the Minister of Finance gave an assurance that normal service had resumed at the bank. Following the Christmas break, Hijarunguru had refused to leave office, even though the board said his contract was up.Minister of Agriculture, Helmut Angula, and Deputy Minister of Finance, Rick Kukuri, met the board on Friday where it was confirmed that Hijarunguru was no longer working for the bank.His term expired on December 31.”Mr TZM Hijarunguru is no longer an executive of the Agribank and he has no standing whatsoever at the Bank,” a statement issued after the meeting said.Chairman of the board, Dr Franz Stellmacher, said the meeting was called “to normalise the affairs of Agribank”.Deputy Permanent Secretary of Finance Shihaleni Ndjaba has been appointed to act as CEO for the next three months.Sources said Stellmacher met Hijarunguru after the meeting and informed him of his fate.”I think the meeting with the chairman was in good faith because after the meeting Mr Hijarunguru went around to inform us that he is leaving,” said one senior employee.On Wednesday Stellmacher wrote Hijarunguru a letter ordering him to vacate the office.Hijarunguru wrote back vowing to stay, and questioned the validity of the decision not to renew his contract.He did not elaborate on why he had challenged the board but sources said he had argued that the board did not have a quorum when it took a decision on his contract.The board has submitted the names of possible replacements to Minister of Finance Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila for tabling before Cabinet.Swapo activist Maureen Hinda is said to be the leading candidate for the top job.Kuugongelwa-Amadhila said the board’s “proposals [on who should take over] would be given urgent consideration”.Following the Christmas break, Hijarunguru had refused to leave office, even though the board said his contract was up. Minister of Agriculture, Helmut Angula, and Deputy Minister of Finance, Rick Kukuri, met the board on Friday where it was confirmed that Hijarunguru was no longer working for the bank. His term expired on December 31. “Mr TZM Hijarunguru is no longer an executive of the Agribank and he has no standing whatsoever at the Bank,” a statement issued after the meeting said. Chairman of the board, Dr Franz Stellmacher, said the meeting was called “to normalise the affairs of Agribank”. Deputy Permanent Secretary of Finance Shihaleni Ndjaba has been appointed to act as CEO for the next three months. Sources said Stellmacher met Hijarunguru after the meeting and informed him of his fate. “I think the meeting with the chairman was in good faith because after the meeting Mr Hijarunguru went around to inform us that he is leaving,” said one senior employee. On Wednesday Stellmacher wrote Hijarunguru a letter ordering him to vacate the office. Hijarunguru wrote back vowing to stay, and questioned the validity of the decision not to renew his contract. He did not elaborate on why he had challenged the board but sources said he had argued that the board did not have a quorum when it took a decision on his contract. The board has submitted the names of possible replacements to Minister of Finance Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila for tabling before Cabinet. Swapo activist Maureen Hinda is said to be the leading candidate for the top job. Kuugongelwa-Amadhila said the board’s “proposals [on who should take over] would be given urgent consideration”.