Namibia: Another DG leaves National Broadcaster NBC

Alleged political interference has led to unanticipated departure of the Acting Director General (DG) of the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation, Mathew //Gowaseb.

Despite some positive changes he briefly brought to the national broadcaster, // Gowaseb is reported to have submitted his letter of resignation to the Minister of Information and Communication Technology,  Joel Kaapanda, and the board of the NBC on 11 January 2010.

 

Alleged personality clashes between him, the Board and senior management staff, as well as alleged political interference from external sources are believed to be the main culprits in him taking a decision to end his acting term with the national broadcaster. This shift in attitude was reportedly generated by the Board having decided to reverse the reshuffling of some senior managers at the national broadcaster which the DG effected late 2009.

 

His acting term is ending 26 January 2010, and he is alleged to have expressed no desire to extend his stay under the alleged circumstances. //Gowaseb’s decision to leave, makes him the third DG to vacate this hottest politically interfered office within one year. //End//

 

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Reagan Malumo

Programme Officer: Media Freedom Monitoring and Research

Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Regional Secretariat

21 Johann Albrecht St

Private Bag 13386

Windhoek

Namibia

Phone: +264 61 232 975

Fax: +264 61 248 016

Mobile: +264 81 311 2626

E mail: reagan@misa.org

www.misa.org 

 

-January 14, 2010 by Reagan Malumo

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Source: www.misa.org (received via mail alert)