The Opuwo Town Council has appointed Matjandjara Tjihuura-Katurota as the new Chief Executive Officer.

Tjihuura-Katurota is the first woman to assume this executive role.

Before her appointment, Tjihuura-Katurota served as a Financial Manager at the Omaruru Municipality.

She expressed her commitment to being a servant to the residents in service delivery as she outlined some of her expectations from the employees in her new role.

"We should be very customer-oriented; we are not bosses in our offices; we are servants, so let us be servants and serve the community with the dignity and respect they deserve.  The second is time management; this is one of my higher expectations from each employee. Let us utilise the council's time effectively; no compromise. Any absenteeism is zero tolerance from me; please take it seriously."

Opuwo Mayor Rosa Mbinge-Tjeundo highlighted that the process of appointing the CEO did not take long, and she commended the council for working together harmoniously despite their political affiliations.

"I know, from my experience in Namibia, that many local authorities are faced with challenges in appointing CEOs; it takes years and years for CEOs to be appointed.  Opuwo Town Council started on time with the preparation of the appointment of the CEO, and it went very smoothly. Within three months, our CEO was appointed on time."

Tjihuura-Katurota holds a Master's degree in International Business Administration from NUST and a bachelor's degree in Accounting from UNAM, among other qualifications.