Police boss flip-flops on reshuffling

Claims of political interference have rocked the Namibian Police after Inspector-General Joseph Shikongo’s plan to reshuffle some of his regional commanders failed to materialise, amid allegations of resistance from some quarters.

At the centre of the controversy are three regional commanders - Johanna Ngondo (Kavango East), Andreas Haingura (Omaheke) and Heinrich Tjiveze (Otjozondjupa).

Ngondo was supposed to replace Tjiveze in Otjozondjupa, while Haingura was meant to make a move to Kavango East and Tjiveze to Omaheke, but Namibian Sun has been reliably informed that the transfers have now been halted.

Police sources said the reshuffling has drawn resistance from regional commanders “who do not want to move”, with some allegedly enlisting political backup to stop their transfers.

Shikongo has since revoked the transfers.

Smokescreen

Namibian Sun understands Tjiveze asked for more time to prepare for his move, but there are claims that the request is a mere smokescreen to cover-up his alleged unwillingness to move to the Omaheke Region.

Accused of turning to politicians for assistance to fight his transfer, Tjiveze denied this, adding that he has no way of influencing decisions made when it comes to appointments and transfers.

“I don’t know what you are talking about. I don’t know about this. Let us do this, you speak to the appointing authority, because I am not authorised to speak to the media,” he said.

With Ngondo initially scheduled to commence at her new duty station on 1 August, her move has also floundered due to Tjiveze’s conundrum.

She told Namibian Sun yesterday that her appointment should take effect next month and that “any decision Shikongo has made in the meantime with regards her transfer would be the final decision”.

This also places Haingura’s move to Kavango East in jeopardy due to the fact that Ngondo will still be the police boss in the region he was supposed to move to.

Deadlock

The transfer deadlock could be a source of embarrassment for the police boss, police insiders privy to the matter said.

There are also fears that there are certain regional commanders who are seemingly untouchable, making it difficult for Shikongo to assert his authority within police ranks.

Shikongo, who has been in the job for less than year, confirmed yesterday that he revoked the decision to transfer the trio, but was quick to add that there was no political pressure exerted on him to change his mind.

The police boss played his cards close to his chest when asked to provide the reasons that led to him rescinding the decision.

“I have the mandate as the inspector-general to revoke decisions at any time. I have never had any political pressure in my life. Nobody, no political leader, has called me for all these decisions.

“My decision to relook the transfers was made based on operational requirements,” he said.

Satisfied

The police chief added that one of his seniors, the regional commander of Kavango East [Ngondo], has “just returned from a one-year training in Kigali”.

“And another one has requested that I give time [for him to] get his things in order,” Shikongo said.

He further stressed that he is satisfied with the decisions he has made regarding appointments and transfers, and said nobody has called him to complain about them.

He further defended his decision to appoint Commissioner Willem Steenkamp as the new regional commander for the Khomas Region, while Commissioner David Indongo has taken over the reins as the head of the special field force directorate.

“People came to say I demoted him [Indongo], but that is not true. The transfer of Steenkamp and Indongo was not for political reasons and what matters is that they are both part of the house of the Namibian Police,” he said.

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