Walvis Bay municipality clarifies allegations of misappropriating of funds by former CEO Muronga Haingura

By: Adolf Kaure

The Walvis Bay municipality issued a statement Friday clarifying corruption allegations against former Walvis Bay, CEO Muronga Haingura.

According to Walvis Bay acting manager of public relations and customer service Anita Kaihiva, the allegations circulated during 2020 on social media and various newspaper reported that N$ 24 million of the funds of the municipal council of Walvis Bay pertaining to the Mass Land Servicing Project were misappropriated or missing.

“An investigation was subsequently commenced by the Anti-Corruption Commission early December 2020, presumably.”

“On 15 December 2020 the municipal council of Walvis Bay resolved to appoint an auditor to conduct an independent audit and to verify information pertaining to the sales process in respect of the Mass Land Servicing Project. It also resolved to verify that all funds due to the municipal council in respect of the sale of properties as part of the project had been received by the municipal council of Walvis Bay,” said Kaihiva in the statement.

She further stated that a report was received from the auditors that were appointed to conduct the audit and verification process and that it was considered by the Council at a meeting held on 25 August 2021.

“The suspension of employees who had been on suspension following the commencement of the investigations by the Anti-Corruption Commission, including Muronga Haingura, the former Chief Executive Officer of the Municipal Council of Walvis Bay, was lifted and they were reinstated following receipt of the audit report.”

“The auditor’s report did not contain any specific findings implicating Haingura of misappropriation of any funds of the municipal council of Walvis Bay.”

“Any perception, which may have been created at the time, that Haingura was involved in the misappropriation of funds, is regretted,” she said.