Three City of Windhoek councillors have apologised to chief executive Moses Matyayi, withdrawing several allegations they previously made about his official travels.
IPC councillors Jesaya Ikali, Werner-Meck Tjihuiko and former mayor Ndeshihafela Larandja signed an “unreserved apology” dated 9 September, after previously raising concerns about Matyayi’s foreign trips in a letter to minister of urban and rural development James Sankwasa.
The councillors now acknowledge that they relied on information that had not been properly verified.
“We acknowledge that these statements were made without adequate verification and regret any embarrassment, reputational harm, distress, or inconvenience that may have been caused to you personally, your office, and the Windhoek City Council as a result of the publication,” the councillors say in the apology.
Among the claims they have withdrawn is that Matyayi travelled to Colombia, that he had been outside the country for more than two weeks, and that the municipality had paid N$300 000 for a trip undertaken by the CEO to Harvard University in the United States.
The apology follows a report in The Namibian of 24 August about the councillors’ concerns over Matyayi’s foreign trips.
In their letter to Sankwasa on 5 August, the councillors claim they only learned through social media that Matyayi was out of the country for more than two weeks on official trips to Russia and “Columbia”.
Matyayi rejected the allegations at the time, describing them as “speculative and unsupported by evidence”.
The councillors now say the allegations have caused embarrassment, reputational harm, distress or inconvenience to Matyayi, his office and the Windhoek City Council.
They further undertake to stop making, publishing or circulating “false, defamatory, misleading, unverified or injurious” statements concerning Matyayi.
The undertaking covers communication to the media, public authorities, city employees and officials, as well as third parties.
The three councillors signed the apology on 10 September.
According to the apology, copies have been sent to Sankwasa, Windhoek mayor Sakarias Uunona and The Namibian.
The apology is addressed directly to Matyayi and ends with a request that he accept it.
