STATE House has sacked five officials working close to President Hage Geingob because there is apparently no money to pay them.
understands that the five officials who have been shown the door include Geingob’s special assistants Tuli Garoës and Wensel Mavara.
There are, however, claims that some of the officials were removed because they have not been dancing to the tune of people close to the President.
Sources said the other three officials whose services have been terminated include an adviser, and another senior special assistant who facilitated Geingob’s controversial N$1,6 million furniture import from China in July 2015.
Sources said the officials have been told that they would no longer be needed after September this year.
Their contracts were to run until 2020, but the President has the power to end their contracts anytime.
State House permanent secretary Samuel /Gôagoseb told The Namibian yesterday that there was nothing sinister about the sacking of the officials.
“Downsizing is happening everywhere in government,” he said, adding that the move was to streamline the operations of the Presidency.
Sources said some of the officials who were dismissed were seconded, and would return to their ministries.
Garoës is the daughter of the late labour minister, parliamentarian and Swapo stalwart Moses Garoëb.
Garoës, previously a businesswoman, joined the President’s office in October 2015.
Prior to that, she worked as a trade promotion executive at the trade ministry for eight years.
She was unreachable for comment yesterday.
Mavara was seconded to the Office of the President from the environment ministry, where he was a ranger for nine years.
He denied that he was set to lose his State House job, saying that he was loyal to President Geingob.
Mavara is a former member of the central committee of the Swapo Party Youth League (SPYL), and a staunch Geingob supporter.
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