Namibia Minute.
24 April 2026
A daily Namibian brief · Est. 2026
Windhoek—:—London—:—New York—:—Beijing—:—
Organization

Independent Patriots for Change

Also known as: IPC · Integrated Food Security Phase Classification Initiative

Opposition political party; IPC MPs have criticized government fuel hikes, petroleum unit funding, and education policy reversals.

Politics

Parliamentarians question ECN's N$1.6 million legal fees allocation

The News

Independent Patriots for Change MP Michael Mwashindange criticised the Electoral Commission of Namibia's allocation of N$1.6 million for legal fees as wasteful, arguing the commission should prioritise improving voter turnout and drafting an electoral amendment bill instead. Other MPs also questioned whether the ECN's overall N$181 million budget for 2026/27 is adequate for national coverage.

28 March 2026 · The Namibian →

Saturday 28 March

  1. Parliamentarians question ECN's N$1.6 million legal fees allocation

    Independent Patriots for Change MP Michael Mwashindange criticised the Electoral Commission of Namibia's allocation of N$1.6 million for legal fees as wasteful, arguing the commission should prioritise improving voter turnout and drafting an electoral amendment bill instead. Other MPs also questioned whether the ECN's overall N$181 million budget for 2026/27 is adequate for national coverage.

    28 March 2026 · The Namibian →

  2. National Assembly budget cuts risk crippling parliamentary work

    Parliament members say the National Assembly's budget allocation of N$410.7 million for 2026/27 is inadequate, with only 1% allocated to development and 19% to core NA activities. MPs warn the underfunding threatens the institution's capacity for lawmaking and public outreach.

    28 March 2026 · The Namibian →

Friday 27 March

  1. IPC MPs question N$20 million to non-existent petroleum unit

    Opposition parliamentarians in the Independent Patriots for Change criticised the N$20 million allocation to an upstream petroleum unit in the Office of the President's budget, arguing the unit does not yet exist under law and the funding is therefore premature and amounts to corruption. They called for the money to be reallocated to the minister of industries, mines and energy pending passage of the petroleum bill.

    27 March 2026 · The Namibian →

  2. Parliament divided over petroleum bill governance structure

    The petroleum amendment bill, which proposes moving oil and gas sector oversight to the Office of the President, has faced criticism in Parliament for creating a "power vacuum" and concentrating executive control. Critics argue the measure removes ministerial accountability to Parliament and risks elite capture, while the government defends the proposal as necessary modernisation to protect the sector and ensure proper regulation.

    27 March 2026 · The Namibian →

Thursday 26 March

  1. Cheetah Cement plans to retrench 87 workers by April

    Cheetah Cement has notified the Ministry of Justice and Labour Relations of its intent to retrench 87 employees by 15 April, citing financial losses, import restrictions, and a blocked merger. The notice is a declaration of intent subject to ongoing consultations with the ministry and the Mineworkers Union of Namibia, and the final number of retrenchments may change.

    26 March 2026 · The Namibian →

Wednesday 25 March

  1. MP warns petroleum bill risks repeating fisheries corruption mistakes

    Independent Patriots for Change MP Michael Mulunga argued during National Assembly debate that the petroleum amendment bill, which would place oil and gas under the Office of the President, mirrors the governance failures that led to the 2019 Fishrot scandal. He warned that granting such discretionary powers without proper oversight risks similar corruption and questioned why the bill is urgent when commercial oil production is years away.

    25 March 2026 · The Namibian →

  2. National Assembly clears Shaningwa of unparliamentary language allegation

    The National Assembly speaker has ruled that Swapo secretary general Sophia Shaningwa did not use profanity in parliament, after consulting official Hansard recordings of an alleged incident from last year in which she was accused of using the f-word to an IPC member.

    25 March 2026 · The Namibian →

  3. Swapo deputy SG denies Russian funding allegations, will not sue

    Swapo deputy secretary general Uahekua Herunga has dismissed allegations published by Forbidden Stories, based on leaked documents linked to Russian intelligence, that he solicited millions of dollars to support Swapo's 2024 election campaign. He said he will not pursue legal action and denied ever requesting external funding for the party.

    25 March 2026 · The Namibian →

Tuesday 24 March

  1. Arrest of mother who left newborn at church sparks safe-haven law debate

    A 36-year-old woman was arrested after leaving her newborn at a church in Ohangwena, raising questions about what locations legally qualify as "safe places" under Namibia's 2019 safe-haven policy. While some argue the mother's circumstances warrant consideration and the law permits leaving unharmed infants at churches, police and government officials contend the specific location—an empty church with the baby placed unattended on the floor—did not meet statutory requirements for a designated safe place.

    24 March 2026 · The Namibian →

Sunday 22 March

  1. Opposition criticises president's midnight Independence Day TV address

    President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah will deliver her Independence Day address live on NBC at midnight on 21 March instead of at a public event, prompting the IPC and analysts to question the decision's justification and appropriateness.

    22 March 2026 · The Namibian →

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