Karibib suspends popular CEO

A PART of the community of Karibib yesterday came out in support of the town’s suspended CEO, demanding her immediate reinstatement.

CEO Lydia Kandetu was suspended by the Karibib Town Council earlier this month for alleged incompetence. A Council resolution of Friday, September 14 claimed that Kandetu was “incapable of carrying out her duties efficiently”.Kandetu’s suspension notice, according to her supporters, was handed to her the following day in a restaurant where she was having lunch.When she returned to her office on Monday, the locks of her office doors had been changed.Her signing rights to the council’s bank account were also suspended.The reasons for her suspension, according to the council resolution, include illegal tender awarding, failure to buy a refuse removal truck as resolved by the Council and painting the town’s sewerage truck without Council approval.According to the resolution that led to her suspension, the Council had also lost confidence in her after she allegedly failed to inform them about a situation where they were “handed over to the lawyers” by a consultant who did the council budget.At yesterday’s press briefing, a group of residents questioned Council’s motives and alleged that her suspension was malicious.The group drew up a petition in support of Kandetu and have so far gathered 130 signatures.The petition will be handed over to the Council.Peter Dirks, the leader of the group, said Kandetu was an active member in all the major committees in Karibib and had played a pivotal role in attracting investment to the town.Contacted for comment, the chairman of the Council’s Management Committee, Titus Naboth, said there was an ongoing internal investigation into the matter and that Kandetu was still considered an employee of the Council.A Council resolution of Friday, September 14 claimed that Kandetu was “incapable of carrying out her duties efficiently”.Kandetu’s suspension notice, according to her supporters, was handed to her the following day in a restaurant where she was having lunch.When she returned to her office on Monday, the locks of her office doors had been changed.Her signing rights to the council’s bank account were also suspended.The reasons for her suspension, according to the council resolution, include illegal tender awarding, failure to buy a refuse removal truck as resolved by the Council and painting the town’s sewerage truck without Council approval.According to the resolution that led to her suspension, the Council had also lost confidence in her after she allegedly failed to inform them about a situation where they were “handed over to the lawyers” by a consultant who did the council budget.At yesterday’s press briefing, a group of residents questioned Council’s motives and alleged that her suspension was malicious.The group drew up a petition in support of Kandetu and have so far gathered 130 signatures.The petition will be handed over to the Council.Peter Dirks, the leader of the group, said Kandetu was an active member in all the major committees in Karibib and had played a pivotal role in attracting investment to the town.Contacted for comment, the chairman of the Council’s Management Committee, Titus Naboth, said there was an ongoing internal investigation into the matter and that Kandetu was still considered an employee of the Council.