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Friday, 23 October 2026
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Namibian press · Organization

Central Procurement Board of Namibia

Also known as: CPBN

Namibian government body responsible for public procurement processes, criticized for handling of veterinary fence tenders and foot-and-mouth disease emergency contracts in 2026.

2023-01-282026-10-23
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  1. October 2026

  2. Windhoek Observer

    Central Procurement Board of Namibia (CPBN) will handle procurement once required lender approvals secured

    Source

    “The procurement will be handled by the Central Procurement Board of Namibia (CPBN) once the required lender approvals have been secured.”

    TransNamib locomotive procurement awaits lender approval

  3. Windhoek Observer

    Central Procurement Board of Namibia would conduct acquisition of both new and remanufactured locomotives

    Source

    “The ministry said new locomotives have a lead time of approximately 24 months, compared with about nine months for remanufactured locomotives. The change is intended to provide TransNamib with reliable locomotives in the shortest possible time, while taking economic considerations into account. The ministry denied that the revised procurement plan would bypass the Central Procurement Board of Namibia (CPBN), saying the acquisition of both new and remanufactured locomotives would be conducted through the board to ensure compliance with the Public Procurement Act.”

    Locomotives to be refurbished locally

  4. Windhoek Observer

    Central Procurement Board of Namibia (CPBN) was reprimanded by the High Court for failing to provide proper reasons for cancelling a veterinary cordon fence tender

    Source

    “The High Court has reprimanded the Central Procurement Board of Namibia (CPBN) for failing to provide proper reasons for cancelling a veterinary cordon fence tender, while construction of the disputed project continues amid a fresh foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak confirmed in the Zambezi Region.”

    Judge slams CPBN as FMD breaks in Zambezi …Fence construction continues despite tender dispute as Namibia confirms new outbreak

  5. Windhoek Observer

    Central Procurement Board of Namibia failed to provide proper reasons for cancelling the original tender

    Source

    “The judgment delivered a pointed criticism of the Central Procurement Board of Namibia for failing to provide proper reasons for cancelling the original tender.”

    Urgency cannot become an excuse to bypass the rule of law

  6. The Namibian

    Central Procurement Board of Namibia cancelled award to China Jiangxi International and Homefin on 7 September

    Source

    “On 7 September, CPBN cancelled the award and gave a new tender to China State Construction and Punchu Trading without explanation.”

    Court approves emergency tender for FMD fence

  7. Windhoek Observer

    Central Procurement Board of Namibia was criticised by the court for providing ineffective reason for cancelling original bidding process

    Source

    “However, the court criticised the Central Procurement Board of Namibia (CPBN), saying its stated reason for cancelling the original bidding process, that it "does not create or achieve the expected outcome," was effectively no reason at all.”

    Court dismisses Homefin bid to stop FMD fence contract

  8. Windhoek Observer

    Central Procurement Board of Namibia (CPBN) selected China Jiangxi International (Namibia) JV Homefin Properties CC at N$120 million on 18 August

    Source

    “The Central Procurement Board of Namibia (CPBN) selected China Jiangxi International (Namibia) JV Homefin Properties CC on 18 August, at a tender value of N$120 million.”

    Itula demands FMD recovery plan as fence tender faces review

  9. Windhoek Observer

    Central Procurement Board of Namibia (CPBN) subsequently cancelled the procurement process citing failure to create or achieve the expected outcome

    Source

    “The procurement process was subsequently cancelled, with CPBN citing its failure to "create or achieve the expected outcome", before the project was awarded through emergency procurement to Punchu Trading CC JV China State Construction Engineering Southern Africa for N$122 million.”

    Itula demands FMD recovery plan as fence tender faces review
  10. September 2026

  11. Windhoek Observer

    Central Procurement Board of Namibia (CPBN) has been accused of using Foot-and-Mouth Disease threat as scaremongering to justify abandoning competitive procurement

    Source

    “The Central Procurement Board of Namibia (CPBN) has been accused of using the threat of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) as "scaremongering" to justify abandoning the competitive procurement process for the construction of a 185 kilometer veterinary cordon fence along Namibia's southern border.”

    CPBN accused of invoking foot-and-mouth disease scare in N$122m fence tender

  12. Windhoek Observer

    CPBN cancelled the tender awarded to Homefin and awarded the project to Punchu Trading for N$122.08 million through emergency procurement

    Source

    “The dispute centres on CPBN's decision to cancel the tender awarded to China Jiangxi International JV Homefin Properties CC (Homefin) and instead award the project to Punchu Trading CC JV China State Construction Engineering Co. Southern Africa (Punchu Trading) for N$122.08 million through emergency procurement.”

    CPBN accused of invoking foot-and-mouth disease scare in N$122m fence tender
Business

TransNamib locomotive purchase awaits lender approval process

The News

TransNamib's N$2.6 billion plan to acquire 15 new locomotives and remanufacture 17 existing units depends on approval from its lenders, the Development Bank of Southern Africa and the Development Bank of Namibia. The procurement will be handled by the Central Procurement Board once lender approvals are secured, after a previous procurement process was cancelled by the Minister of Works and Transport in April 2025.

14 October 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Wednesday 14 October

  1. TransNamib locomotive purchase awaits lender approval process

    TransNamib's N$2.6 billion plan to acquire 15 new locomotives and remanufacture 17 existing units depends on approval from its lenders, the Development Bank of Southern Africa and the Development Bank of Namibia. The procurement will be handled by the Central Procurement Board once lender approvals are secured, after a previous procurement process was cancelled by the Minister of Works and Transport in April 2025.

    14 October 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Tuesday 13 October

  1. TransNamib to refurbish seventeen locomotives locally

    TransNamib's revised locomotive procurement plan calls for the purchase of 15 new locomotives and the remanufacturing of 17 existing ones, a change the ministry of works and transport says supports Namibia's Sixth National Development Plan, skills transfer, and job creation. The remanufacturing must take place in Namibia, and both new and remanufactured locomotives will be acquired through the Central Procurement Board.

    13 October 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Monday 12 October

  1. Judge reprimands CPBN over fence tender cancellation dispute

    The High Court reprimanded the Central Procurement Board of Namibia for failing to provide proper reasons for cancelling a veterinary cordon fence tender, dismissing an urgent application to stop construction. The ruling came as Namibia confirmed a new foot-and-mouth disease outbreak at Kalala Island in the Zambezi Region, with all 12 cattle samples tested positive on 7 October.

    12 October 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

  2. High Court warns government urgency cannot bypass legal procedure

    The Windhoek Observer argues that while government is right to act decisively against a foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in the Zambezi Region, a recent High Court judgment on a //Kharas Region veterinary fence project reminds state institutions that urgency does not suspend the rule of law—and criticizes the Central Procurement Board for failing to properly justify cancelling the original tender.

    12 October 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Sunday 11 October

  1. High Court approves emergency tender for FMD border fence

    Namibia's High Court has approved the government's emergency procurement process for a veterinary cordon fence on the southern border intended to protect against foot-and-mouth disease, while criticising the Central Procurement Board's handling of the original tender that was abruptly switched to a new contractor in September.

    11 October 2026 · The Namibian →

Thursday 8 October

  1. Court dismisses challenge to FMD fence contract award

    The High Court dismissed an urgent application by China Jiangxi International (Namibia) (Pty) Ltd JV Homefin Properties CC to stop implementation of an emergency contract for veterinary cordon fences along Namibia's border with South Africa. Although the court found Homefin had established grounds to challenge the cancellation of the original competitive bidding process, it ruled the balance of convenience did not favour granting the interdict, citing the successful bidder's mobilisation and the escalating threat of Foot-and-Mouth Disease spreading into Namibia.

    8 October 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Wednesday 7 October

  1. Itula urges government to disclose FMD recovery plan and funding

    Opposition leader Panduleni Itula has called on the government to publish a fully costed recovery plan for the Foot-and-Mouth Disease outbreak, including funding details, fencing milestones, and emergency contracts. The call follows a procurement dispute over a veterinary cordon fence along the South African border, with the estimated containment requirement at N$190.2 million.

    7 October 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Tuesday 6 October

  1. IPPR warns amended procurement rules heighten corruption risks

    The Institute for Public Policy Research says procurement regulations gazetted in August increase thresholds for discretionary spending and allow high-value public entities like the National Petroleum Corporation to contract works projects worth up to N$500 million without Central Procurement Board oversight, raising risks of political pressure, patronage and collusion in an already non-transparent system.

    6 October 2026 · The Namibian →

Sunday 27 September

  1. FMD outbreak triggers panic buying for meat in Windhoek

    An outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in the ||Kharas region has prompted the government to suspend movement, slaughter, and export of cloven-hoofed animals and their products, triggering panic buying at butcheries across Windhoek and other parts of the country as residents rush to stockpile meat.

    27 September 2026 · The Namibian →

Friday 25 September

  1. FMD suspension affects kapana vendors and customary cattle slaughter

    A nationwide suspension of livestock movement, trade and slaughtering following Foot-and-Mouth Disease detection in the //Kharas Region has left kapana vendors and families preparing customary events uncertain about cattle slaughter for lobola and funerals. Lawyers representing Affirmative Repositioning's Job Amupanda have demanded clarification from the acting agriculture minister on the scope and legal basis of the restrictions.

    25 September 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Thursday 17 September

  1. CPBN defends foot-and-mouth fence tender emergency procurement

    The Central Procurement Board of Namibia has been accused of using the threat of foot-and-mouth disease as justification for abandoning the competitive tender process and awarding a N$122.08 million veterinary cordon fence project to Punchu Trading CC through emergency procurement instead of the original awardee, Homefin; CPBN says the disease situation in South Africa was deteriorating faster than anticipated and required urgent action.

    17 September 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Wednesday 16 September

  1. Namibian competition watchdog and procurement board join forces

    The Namibian Competition Commission and Central Procurement Board have signed an agreement to prevent collusion and ensure competitive public bidding processes. The two institutions will establish a joint working committee and share information on competition violations and procurement complaints.

    16 September 2026 · The Namibian →

Tuesday 15 September

  1. CPBN and Competition Commission sign memorandum to combat procurement collusion

    The Central Procurement Board of Namibia and the Namibian Competition Commission have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to jointly address collusion, price-fixing, and anti-competitive conduct in public procurement. CPBN CEO Idi Itope said the partnership recognises that procurement integrity requires cooperation beyond procurement law alone.

    15 September 2026 · The Namibian →

Monday 14 September

  1. Contract winner's staff visited site before emergency award

    A court application alleges that personnel from Punchu Trading CC JV China State Construction Engineering Co. Southern Africa were on the project site on 5 September, two days before the Central Procurement Board of Namibia formally awarded the N$122 million veterinary cordon fencing contract to the joint venture on 7 September. A failed bidder claims photographs show a CPBN board member accompanied the winning company's personnel to the site.

    14 September 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

  2. Emergency contract awardee visited site before formal award

    A failed bidder alleges in court papers that personnel from Punchu Trading CC JV China State Construction Engineering Co. Southern Africa were on the veterinary cordon fencing project site on 5 September, two days before the Central Procurement Board formally awarded the N$122 million contract to that joint venture on 7 September. The applicant further alleges that a CPBN board member accompanied the winning bidder's personnel to the site.

    14 September 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

  3. Chinese-linked joint venture challenges border fence tender cancellation

    China Jiangxi International (Namibia) in joint venture with Homefin Properties CC, originally ranked first for a N$123 million veterinary cordon fence tender, has launched a High Court challenge against the Central Procurement Board's decision to cancel the tender and award it to a rival bidder, alleging irregular and potentially corrupt conduct.

    14 September 2026 · Namibian Sun →

Sunday 13 September

  1. CPBN cancels N$126 million veterinary fence tender after award

    The Central Procurement Board of Namibia cancelled a competitive tender for a veterinary cordon fence to combat foot-and-mouth disease two weeks after awarding it, then hand-picked the second-place bidder a week later. The Namibian editorial warns that such abrupt cancellations undermine transparency, expose the state to costly litigation, and raise questions about accountability in government procurement.

    13 September 2026 · The Namibian →

  2. Central Procurement Board's fence tender cancellation draws scrutiny

    Experts question the Central Procurement Board of Namibia's decision to cancel a competitive tender for a N$122-million veterinary cordon fencing project that attracted 23 bids, then award it via emergency procurement to a different contractor. A political analyst says the cancellation could expose the board to legal challenges and create the impression of bias toward a particular bidder.

    13 September 2026 · The Namibian →

Thursday 10 September

  1. Minister urges government institutions to communicate with one voice

    Information and Communication Technology Minister Emma Theofelus has urged government institutions to communicate as a single state rather than separate ministries and agencies, emphasizing that citizens perceive the government as one entity and that government communication carries significant influence requiring authentic, verified and credible information.

    10 September 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Wednesday 9 September

  1. CPBN awards N$123m fence tender to failed bidder after cancellation

    The Central Procurement Board of Namibia cancelled a N$127 million tender for veterinary cordon fences along the South Africa border and awarded the contract via emergency procurement to a company that had failed in the competitive bidding process, raising concerns about transparency and procurement integrity.

    9 September 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

  2. CPBN cancels N$123m veterinary cordon fence tender

    The Central Procurement Board of Namibia has formally cancelled a N$123 million veterinary cordon fence tender, weeks after an evaluation committee recommended it.

    9 September 2026 · Namibian Sun →

Sunday 6 September

  1. Supreme Court invalidates school hostel food tender

    The Supreme Court dismissed an appeal by the Central Procurement Board and Ministry of Education, upholding a High Court decision that set aside a multimillion-dollar tender for supplying food to government school hostels. The court found the procurement process unlawful because the board continued proceedings after the 180-day bid validity period had expired.

    6 September 2026 · The Namibian →

Friday 4 September

  1. Supreme Court upholds High Court's cancellation of school food tender

    The Supreme Court upheld a High Court judgment canceling a multimillion-dollar school hostel food supply tender for government schools across Namibia's 14 regions after the Central Procurement Board and Ministry of Education appealed the decision. The tender was found to have irregularities, including the exclusion of a bidder for failing to provide an English translation of an Afrikaans-language supporting document.

    4 September 2026 · Informanté →

Wednesday 2 September

  1. President directed N$540m school food tender via alternative process

    President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah directed the education ministry to use alternative procurement for a N$540-million school hostel food tender, with the Namibia Training Authority as lead service provider and other public entities, sparking court action from companies questioning the non-public tendering process.

    2 September 2026 · The Namibian →

Sunday 30 August

  1. Central Procurement Board incorporates CSR criteria into bidding process

    The Central Procurement Board of Namibia has implemented Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) criteria in its procurement bidding process, requiring bidders to submit CSR proposals equivalent to not less than 0.1% of the contract amount. The first implementation saw West Trading JV Unik Construction Engineering Namibia donate blankets, school uniforms, and sanitary pads valued at N$64,886.51 to the Bethanie community.

    30 August 2026 · Informanté →

Thursday 27 August

  1. Procurement board integrates CSR into contracts, delivers first investment

    The Central Procurement Board of Namibia has implemented a policy requiring bidders to include corporate social responsibility proposals worth at least 0.1% of contract value. The first community investment under this scheme saw West Trading JV Unik Construction Engineering donate blankets, school uniforms, and sanitary pads valued at N$64,886 to Bethanie residents and pupils, and the associated railway project has created 20 local jobs.

    27 August 2026 · The Namibian →

  2. Government contractor delivers N$64,886 goods to Bethanie

    West Trading JV Unik Construction Engineering Namibia has handed over blankets, school uniforms, and sanitary pads valued at N$64,886.51 to vulnerable members of the Bethanie community as part of a new Central Procurement Board requirement that bidders on applicable contracts commit at least 0.1% of contract value to community empowerment and poverty alleviation initiatives.

    27 August 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Wednesday 19 August

  1. Namibia's procurement reform seeks speed without sacrificing accountability

    Namibia's revised public procurement regulations, which came into operation on 4 August 2026, give over 80 public entities greater scope to undertake procurement independently, aiming to reduce administrative delays and improve service delivery. The success of the reform will depend on implementation rather than the regulations themselves, balancing efficiency with transparency and accountability.

    19 August 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

  2. Namibia revises procurement thresholds, expands entity participation

    More than 80 public entities gain broader procurement authority under Namibia's revised regulations effective August 4, 2026, aimed at reducing administrative delays, decongesting central procurement, and expanding supplier opportunities. The changes raise procurement thresholds to reflect current economic conditions including inflation and currency depreciation.

    19 August 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Friday 14 August

  1. Flood-prone Muzii school to receive N$269m infrastructure upgrade

    The Central Procurement Board of Namibia has signed a N$268.7 million contract with Art Construction CC to transform Muzii Combined School in the Zambezi Region through embankment elevation and ground raising, aimed at protecting the school from recurring floods and improving learning conditions.

    14 August 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Central Procurement Board of Namibia — Namibian press coverage · Namibia Minute