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January 2026
New Era
Emma Mutekasaid she would championa "People's Parliament" approach with digital platforms and community town hall meetings
Source
“Muteka said she intends to champion a "People's Parliament" approach, which includes the use of digital platforms, social media and community town hall meetings to improve communication between the council and the public.”
Namibia's National Council chairperson Lukas Muha has called for strengthened cooperation between the National Council and regional councils to ensure effective governance and regional development. The call was made at a joint consultative conference in Otjiwarongo, which will assess progress on decentralisation and examine the institutions' separate but interconnected constitutional mandates.
Namibia's National Council chairperson Lukas Muha has called for strengthened cooperation between the National Council and regional councils to ensure effective governance and regional development. The call was made at a joint consultative conference in Otjiwarongo, which will assess progress on decentralisation and examine the institutions' separate but interconnected constitutional mandates.
At a consultative conference in Otjiwarongo, National Council chairperson Lukas Muha says the National Council and regional councils must strengthen cooperation to ensure their distinct constitutional mandates translate into effective governance and development at regional level. The conference will assess progress on decentralisation and regional development, and examine the relationship between the two institutions.
National Council vice-chairperson Emma Muteka told 42 school-going learners from all 14 regions gathered at the fourth junior National Council session that social media should be used to create meaningful change in communities, not just for entertainment, and that "followers are not the same as leadership."
According to UNICEF, 47.2% of Namibians still practise open defecation, rising to 70.9% in rural communities, a sanitation gap linked to wider inequalities in access to basic services. Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare said inadequate water and sanitation directly affects children's ability to live, learn and develop with dignity.
National Council deputy chairperson Emma Muteka has called for a shift in refugee support from temporary relief toward long-term pathways for education, skills development, and economic participation. Speaking during a health committee visit to a refugee camp in Istanbul, she emphasized measuring success by transformation rather than survival and called for stronger collaboration between governments and international partners to unlock refugee potential.
Some Swapo members holding full-time government positions as councillors, governors and ministers are allegedly refusing to vacate their party leadership posts, defying a February directive by party secretary general Sophia Shaningwa requiring them to step down to prevent leadership vacuums and operational paralysis. Those refusing include Khomas governor Sam Nujoma (SPYL regional coordinator), Emma Muteka (SPYL district secretary), and Minister Indileni Daniel (party women's council coordinator), though some members have complied with the order.
National Council Vice Chairperson Emma Muteka told a Commonwealth Parliamentary Association delegation that women are systematically devalued in politics through body-shaming, ageism, and sexism, while some women fail to support their female peers. UK MP Sarah Coombes shared that women, particularly women of colour, face disproportionate online abuse including death threats.
The National Council held its first seminar to equip members with knowledge and skills for legislative, oversight and representative duties. Of 42 council members, 12 are returning and 30 are new, with NC Chairperson Lukas Muha emphasizing that capacity-building is a continuous process to ensure the institution remains responsive and relevant.
A week-long induction programme for members of Namibia's seventh National Council commenced in Windhoek on Monday, aimed at familiarising members with the institution's constitutional mandate and their legislative duties. Leadership emphasised the importance of principled governance, accountability, and holding the executive branch accountable.
National Council vice chairperson Emma Muteka has pledged to strengthen legislative oversight and reposition the institution as people-centred, focusing on legislative modernisation, outcome-based governance, and direct engagement with communities through digital platforms and town hall meetings.