Key points drawn from coverage. Tap a point to see the original sentence.
June 2026
The Namibian
Frederico Linkssaidthe ministry's procurement processes require full transparency and increased oversight
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“Research associate Frederico Links said in his presentation that the ministry's procurement processes, both in buying medicines and other tenders, require full transparency and increased oversight.”
Institute for Public Policy Research research associate Frederico Linkssaidminister did not follow default public procurement method despite lawful justification
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“Institute for Public Policy Research research associate Frederico Links says although the minister's actions are lawful, he did not follow the default method of public procurement in Namibia.”
Frederico LinkssaidNamibia's procurement policies are vulnerable to corruption
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“Speaking at the launch of a new report on Wednesday, IPPR research associate Frederico Links said Namibia's procurement policies are vulnerable to corruption.”
Frederico LinkssaysN$1.6 billion is astronomical amount for Namibia to divert to political parties
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“"This is an astronomical amount for a middle-income country such as Namibia, with high unemployment and poverty levels, to divert to political parties when there are pressing socio-economic needs to be fiscally prioritised," Frederico Links, the author of the report, says.”
Frederico Linkssaidthe procedural and substantive powers in Namibia's cybercrime bill should be subject to clear protections for privacy, freedom of expression, and other human rights
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“"The procedural and substantive powers in Namibia's cybercrime bill should be subject to clear protections for privacy, freedom of expression, and other human rights," IPPR research associate Frederico Links said on Monday while presenting his report on the human rights implications of the bill.”
Frederico Linkswarnedthat the bill would negatively affect the work of information technology professionals, researchers, journalists, and civil society
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“In its current form, Links warned that the bill would negatively affect the work of information technology professionals, researchers, journalists, and civil society.”
Frederico Linkssaidappointment of information commissioner is critical step towards full implementation of Access to Information Act
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“Last year during the launch of the 30th edition of the procurement tracker, Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) associate researcher Frederico Links said the appointment of the information commissioner will be a critical step towards the full implementation of the Access to Information (ATI) Act.”
The Institute of Public Policy Research has released its procurement tracker and called for an in-depth investigation into healthcare sector procurement, describing it as a persistent governance challenge. Research shows corruption in the sector has been ongoing for a decade, and the IPPR notes that key laws including the Whistleblower Protection Act of 2017 and the Access to Information Act of 2022 have been passed but not implemented.
Why it matters
Institute for Public Policy Research calls for investigation into healthcare procurement corruption—a decade-long governance failure with new urgency around unenforced accountability laws.
The Institute of Public Policy Research has released its procurement tracker and called for an in-depth investigation into healthcare sector procurement, describing it as a persistent governance challenge. Research shows corruption in the sector has been ongoing for a decade, and the IPPR notes that key laws including the Whistleblower Protection Act of 2017 and the Access to Information Act of 2022 have been passed but not implemented.
Mathews Hamutenya has denied having political connections to State House or involvement in the government's decision to appoint Vitol as Namibia's sole fuel supplier, though his son recently bought 52 service stations and Hamutenya is a partner in a storage facility with Vitol. The Independent Patriots for Change have linked Hamutenya to what they describe as a "conglomerate at the centre of Namibia's petroleum oil takeover."
The Institute for Public Policy Research has criticized the government's decision to bypass the Central Procurement Board on N$350 million in projects, arguing it creates risks of corruption and waste. The government has directly awarded contracts including a N$140-million sports stadium project to the Roads Contractor Company and other projects to August 26 without public tendering, a practice that lacks transparency and limits competition for local businesses.
Civil society organisations have accused the government of lack of transparency on oil and gas information access, with various agencies declining to provide petroleum licence details and citing organisational restructuring. Multiple officials and institutions have refused to respond to inquiries, prompting warnings that withholding critical sector information undermines public trust and the right to know.
The Institute for Public Policy Research warns that Namibia faces governance risks as it prepares for oil production, citing lack of transparency in petroleum licensing, insufficient beneficial ownership disclosure, and weak local content oversight as key areas needing reform before the expected investment decisions from TotalEnergies and Mopane projects. Addressing these challenges through the Access to Information Act and digital transparency could help Namibia avoid the "resource curse" while ensuring oil revenues benefit communities rather than political elites.
The Institute for Public Policy Research warns that Namibia's preferential procurement policy risks abuse without greater transparency and accountability measures. The IPPR calls for data collection on preference-based contracts and stricter compliance, citing poor submission rates of procurement plans by public entities.
Minister Emma Theofelus has halted the recruitment of an information commissioner, citing insufficient stakeholder consultations on the operationalisation of the Access to Information Act. Critics including the IPC and policy experts express concern that the delay is hindering implementation of the transparency law, though budget allocation for 2026/2027 suggests the pause may be temporary.
According to IPPR research, Namibian political parties are projected to receive N$1.6 billion in state funding between 2020 and 2030, an amount the institute describes as disproportionate given the country's unemployment and poverty. The IPPR's report on political finance transparency calls for greater disclosure requirements and stronger regulations to prevent external interference in elections before the next polls.
The Institute for Public Policy Research has submitted concerns to the government that the proposed cybercrime bill, currently undergoing stakeholder consultation, contains provisions that could infringe on privacy, freedom of expression, and expand surveillance beyond constitutional limits. The IPPR warns that the bill's language on digital surveillance, investigator access to electronic data, and the vague concept of "public interest" could negatively affect journalists, IT professionals, researchers, and civil society.
Namibia's incoming information commissioner will earn N$120,000 monthly plus extensive benefits, exceeding the prime minister's estimated salary. The role, created to implement the Access to Information Act and strengthen public procurement transparency, will be filled through a formal recruitment process advertised by parliament.
Information Minister Emma Theofelus announced that parastatals under the information ministry will have their subsidies reduced by 3% annually for the next three years, with government expecting them to develop alternative revenue streams and achieve greater financial independence while still meeting public service mandates.