Lutombi’s legacy

“I joined the Roads Authority on 1 April 2001. At the time, I was a sectional manager for road transport inspection services, responsible for weighbridge operations and some traffic law enforcement on the national road network. In that sense, I grew up in the Roads Authority. I was young, about 33 years old,” says Conrad Lutombi, former chief executive of the Roads Authority, the state-owned entity responsible for managing Namibia’s nearly 50 000km road network.

Before joining the Roads Authority (RA), Lutombi worked as a traffic officer. “I come from the police and security environment,” he said in an interview with Toivo Ndjebela on The Agenda late last year.

In 2008, Lutombi was transferred from the transport inspectorate to oversee transport information, which included notices and transport regulatory services. “I worked in that role from 2008 to 2010, and then acted as CEO from 2010 to 2013, when I was appointed substantive CEO.”

In policing, Lutombi obtained both a national diploma and a degree. He later completed advanced traffic safety management training in Sweden. “From there, I became more interested in leadership and went on to study for a master’s degree in leadership and change management, which sparked my deeper focus on leadership issues,” he said.

Upon taking the reins, Lutombi focused on building a strong leadership team at the RA. “The team we have today has contributed immensely to the national, social and economic wellbeing of this country,” he said.

Balancing act

According to Lutombi, effective leadership requires balance. “You have to manage upwards and downwards. Survival depends on being in sync with the board and political leadership. Roads are critical to national development, so you must understand the political agenda and ensure alignment with national priorities.

“At the same time, you need effective governance at board level and must ensure that the organisation itself is aligned with national goals. The most difficult part, however, is managing people.”

He stressed that people are central to organisational success. “It’s not equipment that keeps organisations alive. Organisations fail because of people. If people are not aligned with the bigger picture, the organisation will collapse. But if they are motivated and understand the direction, the organisation will move forward.”

He said a performance-based rewards system was introduced. “Those who performed well were rewarded. For those who struggled, we identified the challenges and helped them improve.”

As the longest-serving CEO in the history of the RA, Lutombi said stakeholder management was one of his key strengths. “I spent a great deal of time engaging with governors, regional and local councillors, mayors, communities, business leaders, ministers, cabinet, government and other institutions, aligning our aspirations with national leadership, ultimately led by the president.”

Linking the country

Lutombi said the RA developed a close understanding of the aspirations of former president Hifikepunye Pohamba, noting that road infrastructure was close to his heart. “He built on the foundation laid by the Founding Father, whose post-independence focus was on opening up Namibia internally and linking it to the regional economic belt, Africa and the rest of the world.”

When President Hage Geingob succeeded Pohamba, he continued that focus. “We went the extra mile by expanding the network and introducing freeways, aligned with the Harambee Prosperity Plan. That momentum carried through under President Nangolo Mbumba and into the current administration.”

He said the current focus is shifting towards rural development. “We’ve connected the regional network. Now the emphasis is on expanding access in rural areas.”

According to Lutombi, poverty reduction is impossible without roads. “You need to connect constituencies, farms, schools and clinics - and that is what President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah is advocating.”

Funding

Lutombi explained that the Roads Authority is a non-profit entity. “We exist to provide a public service to road users and the business community. We do not generate profit.”

Funding is derived primarily from road user charges collected through the Road Fund Administration (RFA), which manages the fund and finances the RA’s operational activities. Additional funding comes from government appropriations via the Ministry of Works and Transport, as well as grants and loans secured by either government or the RFA, notably from KfW.

“I’m proud to say that since I took over in 2010, we have been audited annually by external auditors, and our books have been certified by the Auditor General,” he said. “For the 15 years I served at the Roads Authority, we consistently received unqualified audit opinions, reflecting prudent financial management.”

Changes

Lutombi said his leadership approach focused on incremental rather than radical change. “I did not believe in discarding everything and starting over. Instead, I prioritised continuous improvement of systems and processes, while taking care of the people within the organisation. As I leave, I am satisfied that the organisation is in a healthy position.”

Highlighting the RA’s achievements, Lutombi said the asset value of the road network grew significantly under his tenure. “When I took over, the asset value was around N$90 billion. Today, it stands at N$221 billion, and that tells a powerful story.”

He added that the length of paved roads also increased substantially. “Before and shortly after independence, Namibia had about 3 000km of bitumen roads. By 2010, this had increased to around 4 000km. Today, we are close to 10 000km.”