Also known as: Sankwasa · Minister Sankwasa · Minister of urban and rural development James Sankwasa · minister James Sankwasa · minister of urban and rural development · Hon. Sankwasa · line minister · urban and rural development minister · the Minister of Urban and Rural Development · Sankwasa James Sankwasa · Minister of Urban and Rural Development, James Sankwasa
Minister of urban and rural development overseeing local authority governance, infrastructure, and traditional authority disputes in Namibia.
Minister of urban and rural development James Sankwasa has approved the suspension of Katima Mulilo Town Council chief executive officer Raphael Liswaniso with pay, effective immediately, just days after an arbitrator found his previous suspension unjustified and ordered his reinstatement with back pay.
14 April 2026 · The Namibian →
Minister of urban and rural development James Sankwasa has approved the suspension of Katima Mulilo Town Council chief executive officer Raphael Liswaniso with pay, effective immediately, just days after an arbitrator found his previous suspension unjustified and ordered his reinstatement with back pay.
14 April 2026 · The Namibian →
Urban and rural development minister James Sankwasa held a meeting in Rundu to address an ongoing leadership dispute within the Gciriku Traditional Authority, which has been without a recognised chief since the death of Hompa Shiyambi in 2019. The minister is tasked by the High Court to make a final decision on the succession based on customary law.
12 April 2026 · The Namibian →
A labour arbitrator has set aside the unpaid suspension of Katima Mulilo Town Council CEO Raphael Liswaniso, finding the move unfair and ordering his immediate reinstatement with backdated salary and benefits. The arbitrator ruled that the council's suspension process was fundamentally flawed, as it occurred without proper investigation or hearing and the ministerial representative lacked authority to suspend the CEO.
10 April 2026 · New Era →
The Labour Court has ordered the Katima Mulilo Town Council to immediately reinstate chief executive Raphael Liswaniso, who had been suspended without pay since October following an investigation. The arbitrator found that Liswaniso's suspension was unjust and that the council had violated his rights by denying him salary and failing to properly inform him of charges, and ordered the council to pay all his remaining salary.
10 April 2026 · The Namibian →
Farmers around Lake Liambezi are rushing to harvest maize, sorghum and other crops weeks early as floodwaters advance from Angola through the Zambezi Region. The premature harvesting follows earlier locust damage, and officials warn more severe flooding is expected in coming weeks, with water levels potentially rising above seven metres and affecting multiple constituencies including Kabbe South, Sibbinda and Katima Rural.
9 April 2026 · New Era →
Urban and Rural Development Minister James Sankwasa has rejected a contract extension for Rundu Town Council CEO Olavi Nathanael, citing chaotic financial management including a N$254 million outstanding water debt to NamWater, adverse audit findings, and seven years without official auditing. The council has formally notified Nathanael that his employment will end on 3 May 2026.
9 April 2026 · New Era →
The Ministry of Urban and Rural Development has been allocated N$2 billion for 2026/2027, with an additional N$1.5 billion from the National Housing Enterprise to accelerate housing construction and address Namibia's housing backlog. The ministry has prioritised informal settlement formalisation and rural development, though infrastructure constraints—particularly ageing sewer systems requiring an estimated N$2.5 billion in upgrades—threaten to slow progress.
8 April 2026 · New Era →
Devastating floods and locust outbreaks in Namibia's Zambezi region have destroyed thousands of hectares of crops and displaced over 2,000 people, prompting the government to commit to feeding affected residents until the next harvest season. The regional minister has called on government to provide seeds, fodder for livestock, and continued support as communities struggle with starvation.
7 April 2026 · The Namibian →
The government's housing expansion programme is constrained by a N$2.5-billion funding gap for sewerage infrastructure upgrades, as about 80% of local authorities have ageing systems unable to accommodate new developments. Minister Sankwasa said the shortfall prevented the ministry from meeting its target of 3 000 new houses last year, and that many systems date from the colonial era and no longer suit current population levels.
3 April 2026 · The Namibian →
The government's housing programme is constrained by a N$2.5-billion shortfall for sewerage infrastructure upgrades, with 80% of local authorities having ageing systems unable to accommodate new developments. Minister Sankwasa said the ministry failed to meet its target of 3,000 houses last year and warned that lack of investment poses public health risks in fast-growing urban areas.
3 April 2026 · The Namibian →