… As political analyst Henning Melber recently pointed out in ‘Development as (In)Justice: The Case of Namibia’, Swapo failed “to provide minimum resources and services such as water, food, energy and infrastructure to all”. …
Namibia: Voting With Our Feet?Namibia Minute.
Monday, 11 May 2026
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Person
Henning Melber
Also known as: Melber · Political analyst Henning Melber
Political analyst who has criticized Namibian government appointments and fiscal policies, including commentary on deputy minister posts and the public wage bill.
In coverage
Verbatim sentences from the source article.
- December 2025
- October 2025
The Windhoek Old Location, History and Photographs – Henning Melber, Dieter Hinrichs The late enlightened historian Tony Judt, who wrote with remarkable insight on the past century and a host of other topics, remarked that: “The bigger your frame of reference, the flimsier your g …
Lingering Presence of the Colonial- September 2025
… Henning Melber is an associate at the Nordic Africa Institute in Uppsala and an extraordinary professor at the University of Pretoria and the University of the Free State in Bloemfontein.
Christianity and Governance in Namibia- August 2025
… This overlooks the initial steps for a meaningful social contract: To first establish a shared common purpose and vision rather than imposing, in a top-down approach, a utopia cultivated so far against better knowledge. – Henning Melber was director of The Namibian Economic Polic …
NNN and NDP6: A Reality Check- November 2024
… Henning Melber this week wrote on The Conversation: “Swapo might face defeat for the first time since independence in 1990.” Melber is a Swapo member and an extraordinary professor of political science at the University of Pretoria. …
Swapo could be the next former liberation movement to lose its grip on power- October 2024
… Political analyst Henning Melber says its difficult to protect children against being exploited by political parties. …
Swapo defends youth involvement in politics amid concerns of child exploitation at campaign rallies… Responding to questions by The Namibian yesterday, political analyst Henning Melber noted that some of the proposals in the AR’s manifesto are good and promise to improve a lot. …
‘AR plans too expensive for Namibia’… Political analyst Henning Melber says it’s strange to send 18 party representatives to South Africa for nine days to oversee ballot printing. …
Electoral commission faces backlash over controversial ballot paper tender and costly South Africa trip- September 2024
… Political analyst Henning Melber says Swapo has a miserable track record as it has not met the expectations people had at independence. …
Mbumba says voters should not humiliate ‘themselves by voting for untested and untried’ candidates… Henning Melber He instead referred the questions to ECN spokesperson Mulauli Siluka. …
Electoral law prohibits food bribery: Political parties clash over enforcement ahead of elections
Opinion
Swapo's authoritarian populism rooted in liberation struggle mentality
The News
An opinion piece argues that Swapo, like other former liberation movements in government, has failed to deliver on promises and uses patriotic narratives of its struggle history to justify remaining in state control, drawing parallels to critiques of post-colonial African governments by Frantz Fanon and Angolan author Pepetela.
Why it matters
Opinion analysis of Swapo's authoritarian populism rooted in liberation mentality examines governance patterns affecting national political trajectory.
26 April 2026 · The Namibian →
Sunday 26 April
Swapo's authoritarian populism rooted in liberation struggle mentality
An opinion piece argues that Swapo, like other former liberation movements in government, has failed to deliver on promises and uses patriotic narratives of its struggle history to justify remaining in state control, drawing parallels to critiques of post-colonial African governments by Frantz Fanon and Angolan author Pepetela.
26 April 2026 · The Namibian →
Wednesday 8 April
New deputy minister posts draw criticism over budget costs
Political analysts have criticised president Nandi-Ndaitwah's appointment of seven deputy ministers, saying the move will cost the government nearly N$1.7 million annually and reverses earlier cost-saving pledges. Critics including analyst Henning Melber argue the appointments signal inadequate planning and a centralisation of power, while raising concerns about the appointees' ability to effectively balance parliamentary, executive, and regional council duties.
8 April 2026 · The Namibian →
Friday 20 March
Namibia at 36: Liberation promises betrayed, inequality persists
An analysis marking Namibia's 36 years of independence contrasts the jubilation of 1990 with present-day inequality and governance failures, arguing that the liberation movement's slogans of "Solidarity, Freedom, Justice" have been compromised by elite self-enrichment and a persistence of class-based oppression under continued Swapo rule.
20 March 2026 · The Namibian →
Tuesday 10 March
Presidency denies Riruako State House visit recognition as paramount chief
The Presidency clarified that Hoze Riruako's meeting with President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah should not be interpreted as recognition of him as paramount chief of the OvaHerero Traditional Authority, saying the matter remains before the courts and the executive cannot decide issues under judicial adjudication. The traditional authority has been disputed between Riruako's and Mutjinde Katjiua's factions.
10 March 2026 · The Namibian →
Friday 27 February
State House reviews mansions granted to retired presidents
President Nandi-Ndaitwah is reportedly pushing to end the practice of allocating state-funded mansions to former presidents, preferring instead to accept a portion of benefits for her own retirement home. The review of the Former Presidents' Pension and Other Benefits Act will also examine extending benefits to vice presidents, amid criticism that such perks are excessive given widespread hardship among ordinary Namibians.
27 February 2026 · The Namibian →
Monday 23 February
Government wage bill risks crowding out development spending
Opposition shadow minister Michael Mwashindange warns that the government's growing wage bill—now covering 119,000 civil servants—crowds out development and infrastructure spending while increasing borrowing pressure. Political analyst Henning Melber suggests the government faces a strategic dilemma between downsizing the public service and risking electoral support, and should instead focus on attracting private-sector investment.
23 February 2026 · The Namibian →
Tuesday 17 February
President calls for African sovereignty, climate action at AU summit
At Ethiopia's 39th African Union Summit, President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah advocated for Africa to remain a sovereign partner rather than a battleground for competing global interests, and called for continental investment in water infrastructure and climate solutions. She reported that Namibia's youth unemployment programme has disbursed N$62.3 million to 140 projects creating about 722 jobs, though analysts cautioned that strong speeches must be accompanied by measurable policy implementation results.
17 February 2026 · The Namibian →
Sunday 15 February
Germany backtracks on colonial accountability as new government sidelines Namibia
Germany's commitment to reckon with its colonial past in Namibia has weakened significantly under the new CDU/CSU-SPD government, which mentions colonialism only briefly in its coalition agreement and makes no reference to Namibia. A newly appointed state secretary for culture dismisses adding colonialism to official memory culture as "dangerous relativism," citing the Holocaust as the singular reference point for German state ethics.
15 February 2026 · The Namibian →
Wednesday 28 January
Namibia faces choice between multilateralism and unilateral alignments
An opinion piece argues that Namibia must openly debate and declare its foreign policy position amid global tensions, cautioning that the country's current alignment with Russia and China—despite rhetoric of non-alignment—could jeopardize trade benefits and put it at odds with multilateral principles that facilitated its independence. The author contrasts Namibia's closed policy discussions with South Africa's public commitment to strengthening the UN-based multilateral order.
28 January 2026 · The Namibian →
Tuesday 20 January
Political analysts question value of new Swapo think tank
Political analysts say the government is overloaded with overlapping committees and advisers that duplicate work and delay service delivery. Critics argue the new Swapo think tank, comprising 37 appointed members, lacks independence and will produce little meaningful output, while a defending analyst says such bodies can help the party and government reassess decisions and plans.
20 January 2026 · The Namibian →