The hunt for a new Chief Executive Officer to head the Outjo Municipality is in its final stages.

This was confirmed by the current CEO, Josef |Urib, who initially retired in December 2022 but was given an extension to run the council until a new top official is appointed.

|Urib's extended contract was done at the request of the local authority councillors, who opted to have him stay on for a smooth handover when a new CEO is appointed.

|Urib has served the council for over 25 years.

"It's what I am doing now. It's why I am in the office, not because I want to be in the office, and the process of short listing, interviews, and appointment by council is done. Council has already appointed it, and it was submitted by the beginning of this month, on the 5th of July, to the office of the Minister. The council is awaiting a response from the minister. If the minister responds, the new person will come in and I will be out."

The CEO position attracted 19 applicants, but only five were shortlisted for interviews.

Of those, |Urib says, only three turned up.

"And those three were interviewed by the interview committee, and the interview committee recommended them to the council, and the council took a resolution on that."

Outjo is governed by a Municipal council with seven political seats. Its mayor is Johanness Bapelo of the Landless People's Movement.