Monday, 7 September 2026

Namibia’s news, on the hour · Est. 2026

Monday, 7 September 2026

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Namibian press · Person

Bernadus Swartbooi

Also known as: Miss Namibia 2025 · Bernardus Swartbooi · Bernadus Clinton Swartbooi · Miss Universe Namibia 2025 · party leader Bernadus Swartbooi · Mr Swartbooi · LPM leader Bernadus Swartbooi

Landless People's Movement leader who has challenged the Namibia-Germany genocide reparations declaration and criticized government budgeting priorities.

2021-08-192026-09-07

What’s been said

Key points drawn from coverage. Tap a point to see the original sentence.

April 2023
11 AprThe Namibian
Bernadus Swartbooi called for establishment of an ethics and integrity council to safeguard Namibia's natural resources
Source
“Landless People's Movement leader Bernadus Swartbooi has called for the establishment of an ethics and integrity council to safeguard Namibia's natural resources from looting, saying he does not trust the National Petroleum Corporation of Namibia.”
We do not trust Namcor – Swartbooi
February 2023
14 FebThe Namibian
Bernadus Swartbooi called Sam Nujoma a thug
Source
“"Who is Sam Nujoma? What is special about him? He is a thug," Landless People's Movement leader Bernadus Swartbooi said in the National Assembly yesterday.”
‘Sam Nujoma is a thug’ – Swartbooi
April 2022
9 AprThe Namibian
Bernadus Swartbooi behaved carefully to not sound aggressive or clever during Sona
Source
“Etse, did you see how Bernadus Swartbooi behaved and was careful to not sound aggressive or even clever?”
National Presidential Grandstanding Day 2022
9 AprThe Namibian
Bernadus Swartbooi was careful not to sound aggressive or clever during speech
Source
“Etse, did you see how Bernadus Swartbooi behaved and was careful to not sound aggressive or even clever?”
National Presidential Grandstanding Day 2022

Politics

Amnesty International seeks to join genocide reparations legal challenge

The News

Amnesty International has filed to participate as amicus curiae in a High Court review case challenging the Namibia-Germany Joint Declaration on the 1904-1908 genocide. The applicants, led by Bernadus Swartbooi, the Landless People's Movement, and the Ovaherero Traditional Authority, argue the declaration was improperly handled by Parliament and violates the Constitution and international law.

12 August 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Wednesday 12 August

Amnesty International seeks to join genocide reparations legal challenge
Amnesty International has filed to participate as amicus curiae in a High Court review case challenging the Namibia-Germany Joint Declaration on the 1904-1908 genocide. The applicants, led by Bernadus Swartbooi, the Landless People's Movement, and the Ovaherero Traditional Authority, argue the declaration was improperly handled by Parliament and violates the Constitution and international law.
12 August 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Friday 26 June

House of Poulton launches masterclass incubator for artists
Local fashion brand House of Poulton officially launched a masterclass incubator at the Creative Industry Institute Africa in Windhoek, offering mentorship, industry exposure and practical skills development to equip Namibia's next generation of artists and designers with business skills. The initiative is backed by Miss Namibia 2025 Johanna Swartbooi, who emphasized that creatives need business knowledge to sustain their work alongside their artistic talent.
26 June 2026 · The Namibian →

Thursday 18 June

LPM leader dismisses Keetmanshoop mayor over councillor vote
The Landless People's Movement leader Bernadus Swartbooi dismissed ousted Keetmanshoop mayor Melody Swartbooi after she allegedly failed to ensure a motion of no confidence against two fellow LPM councillors was brought to council, with derogatory WhatsApp messages and audio recordings revealing long-standing tensions between them.
18 June 2026 · The Namibian →

Wednesday 17 June

Axed Keetmanshoop mayor pledges continued LPM allegiance
Former Keetmanshoop mayor Melody Swartbooi says she remains a proud LPM member despite being recalled from the town council by the party, which has not provided reasons for her withdrawal. LPM spokesperson confirms she remains an ordinary member, neither suspended nor expelled.
17 June 2026 · The Namibian →
Ex-Keetmanshoop mayor alleges party pressure over tenders
Former Keetmanshoop mayor Francis Melody Swartbooi claimed at a media briefing that the Landless People's Movement's leadership forced her to award municipal projects to a preferred contractor, and dismissed her when she refused. The dispute centred on a water meter procurement tender and plans to renovate the Homs-Ai Open Market.
17 June 2026 · New Era →

Tuesday 16 June

LPM leadership recalls Keetmanshoop mayor Swartbooi without explanation
The Landless Peoples' Movement recalled Keetmanshoop mayor Melody Swartbooi from her position and council representation over the weekend, citing unspecified reasons. A chaotic meeting involving police and a failed follow-up discussion have left party members divided and questioning the leadership's handling of the dispute.
16 June 2026 · The Namibian →
LPM must strengthen grassroots structures after Keetmanshoop disruption
Political analysts say the Landless People's Movement needs stronger regional and local branches after its community meeting in Keetmanshoop was disrupted on Saturday. An analyst warned that parties without robust local structures risk becoming disconnected from supporters and overly dependent on individuals.
16 June 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Monday 15 June

LPM leader flees disrupted Keetmanshoop meeting over mayor recall
Landless People's Movement (LPM) leader Bernadus Swartbooi and other party leaders were forced to flee a public meeting in Keetmanshoop on Saturday after chaos erupted over the recall of town mayor Melody Swartbooi. Police advised that the meeting could not continue, though the party attributed the disruption to a small group including suspended member Joseph Isaacks and said they would address the matter at a press conference.
15 June 2026 · The Namibian →

Sunday 14 June

Landless People's Movement denies crowd hostility at disrupted meeting
The Landless People's Movement rejected claims that crowds were antagonistic towards party leader Bernadus Swartbooi at a chaotic weekend meeting, saying instead that attendees were upset over the sudden end of the meeting without receiving answers they sought. The party indicated it will host a press conference on Monday following the disruption, which occurred after the firing of Keetmanshoop mayor Melody Swartbooi.
14 June 2026 · Informanté →

Monday 11 May

Top 10 Miss Namibia finalists selected in Windhoek
The 2026 Miss Namibia preliminary competition narrowed the field from 18 contestants to 10 finalists over the weekend in Windhoek. The crowning ceremonies will be held in Gobabis as part of an effort to decentralise the event, with Miss Teen Namibia scheduled for 31 July and the main Miss Namibia event on 1 August.
11 May 2026 · The Namibian →

Sunday 26 April

Movement calls for two-year fish stocks investigation
The Landless People's Movement has proposed a two-year investigation into Namibia's ocean fish stocks to enable informed government decisions and job creation in the fishing sector, amid tensions between workers' organisations and the government over reduced allowable catch limits.
26 April 2026 · The Namibian →

Saturday 25 April

LPM suspends former councillor over dictator accusation
The Landless People's Movement has suspended former Keetmanshoop councillor Joseph Isaacks following remarks he made accusing party leader Bernadus Swartbooi of being a dictator. The party said his public statements have tarnished the party and its leadership and violated the LPM's core values.
25 April 2026 · The Namibian →

Thursday 23 April

LPM demands SOEs end reliance on government bailouts
The Landless People's Movement is calling for state-owned enterprises to become financially independent and end their dependence on public funds, arguing that since 1999 most SOEs have underperformed and failed to innovate. LPM leaders attribute poor performance to politically motivated appointments and said limited public resources should instead address urgent socio-economic needs.
23 April 2026 · The Namibian →

Sunday 19 April

LPM internal divisions deepen amid leadership and suspension disputes
The Landless People's Movement faces growing internal tensions, with former councillor Joseph Isaacks accusing leader Bernadus Swartbooi of running the party dictatorially and the party suspending former mayor McDonald Hanse over alleged involvement in forming a new political party. The LPM's spokesperson denies disunity claims and says the party operates within constitutional rules, while Hanse contests his suspension and disputes the allegations against him.
19 April 2026 · The Namibian →

Tuesday 14 April

MPs warn persistent agriculture ministry underfunding threatens food security
Members of parliament have expressed concern over the continued underfunding of the agriculture ministry, with lawmakers warning that declining allocations for land distribution, drought support, and veterinary services risk compromising national food security and employment. The ministry received N$1.8 billion for the current financial year, with over N$1.4 billion allocated to operations and over N$300 million to development.
14 April 2026 · The Namibian →

Tuesday 17 March

LPM leader criticises budget's security focus over development
Landless People's Movement leader Bernadus Swartbooi has criticised the 2026/27 national budget for prioritising security sector recruitment over infrastructure development and agricultural investment, saying the government is hiring for security jobs to meet political demands because there is insufficient money for real job creation. He argued that increasing operational budgets while declining development budgets keeps the country in a cycle of poverty and unemployment, and that rural development through agriculture should be non-negotiable.
17 March 2026 · The Namibian →

Monday 16 March

Mariental council chair prioritises accountability and service delivery
Hermanus Isaaks, 28-year-old chairperson of Mariental's council management committee, says his leadership focuses on accountability, service delivery and formalising informal settlements. The town is emerging as a hub for young political leadership, including William Minnie, 23, Namibia's youngest elected councillor.
16 March 2026 · The Namibian →
LPM proposes labour export to address Namibia's unemployment crisis
Landless People's Movement leader Bernardus Swartbooi has called on the government to consider exporting labour to address Namibia's 36.9% unemployment rate, citing examples from Kenya, Uganda and Ghana that place workers in Gulf Cooperation Council states. He criticised the government's emphasis on education without corresponding job creation and argued that investment in productive sectors like agriculture and energy should be prioritised over social spending.
16 March 2026 · New Era →

Friday 13 March

LPM leader proposes labour export to tackle unemployment
Bernadus Swartbooi, leader of the Landless People's Movement, has proposed that Namibia explore exporting qualified workers abroad to generate remittances, citing examples from Nigeria and South Africa. He argued the government overemphasises education spending relative to job creation, leaving about 130,000 skilled young Namibians without employment opportunities.
13 March 2026 · The Namibian →

Saturday 21 February

Editorial warns against excessive presidential power concentration
The Namibian's opinion piece supports Swartbooi's concerns about presidential oversight of the petroleum bill, but cautions that concentrating all executive power in State House risks undermining democracy and institutional checks—citing Hage Geingob's academic warning against presidentialism as the concentration of political power in individual hands.
21 February 2026 · The Namibian →

Friday 20 February

Critics warn petroleum bill and regional changes centralise power to presidency
Political analysts and opposition figures say proposed legislative changes—transferring petroleum sector control to the presidency and restructuring regional councils to report through governors to the president—could concentrate executive authority and undermine democratic checks and balances. Defenders including a Swapo MP argue the measures are necessary to manage Namibia's emerging oil industry, but critics warn the pattern signals democratic backsliding and erosion of decentralisation.
20 February 2026 · The Namibian →

Thursday 19 February

Parliamentary debate on presidential power over petroleum industry bill
The Petroleum Amendment Bill, which would vest petroleum sector oversight powers in the Office of the President rather than the Ministry of Mines and Energy, faced mixed scrutiny in the National Assembly. Critics including Bernadus Swartbooi raised concerns about the legal doctrine of functus officio limiting presidential review powers and complicating court challenges, while others questioned whether oil advisors at State House are already performing duties that legally belong to the ministry.
19 February 2026 · New Era →

Wednesday 18 February

Swartbooi proposes petroleum unit as monitoring body, not presidential power
Landless People's Movement leader Bernadus Swartbooi told Parliament that instead of placing a petroleum products upstream unit under the president's office, it should be converted into a monitoring and evaluation component, citing concerns about recentralisation of power, accountability loopholes, and the inability to review presidential decisions without court involvement.
18 February 2026 · The Namibian →

Saturday 7 February

Miss Namibia 2026 applications closed, competition enters selection phase
The Miss Namibia Organisation has closed applications for 2026 competitions and completed candidate screening. The pageant continues to position itself as a platform for leadership and social impact, with winners and finalists involved in charity work, mentorship, and national development initiatives.
7 February 2026 · New Era →

Friday 6 February

LPM says Trump responded to Swartbooi letter; MPs praise presidential address
The Landless People's Movement confirmed that U.S. President Donald Trump has responded to a letter from party leader Bernadus Clinton Swartbooi sent during last year's election claiming minority groups faced discrimination and pressure in Namibia. Meanwhile, several parliamentarians reacted positively to President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah's recent address, though some cautioned that scrutiny of pending bills—particularly the Petroleum Amendment Bill—is essential before passage.
6 February 2026 · New Era →

Wednesday 28 January

Regional inequality and oil wealth spark south Namibia tensions
An opinion piece examines Bernadus Swartbooi's calls for southern Namibian independence in light of historical land dispossession and upcoming oil revenues, arguing that Nigeria's civil war over oil-driven regional wealth division offers cautionary lessons for resolving Namibia's north-south divide through fair resource sharing rather than armed conflict.
28 January 2026 · The Namibian →

Monday 26 January

Miss Namibia 2026 pageant opens entries for women and teens
The Miss Namibia Organisation has opened entries for the 2026 pageants, with applications closing 30 January. Reigning Miss Namibia Johanna Swartbooi describes the competition as a "starter pack for adulthood" requiring professional coaching in public speaking, interviews and presentation skills, while the winner receives a house, car, cash and scholarship plus the chance to represent Namibia at Miss Universe.
26 January 2026 · The Namibian →