Also known as: Minister Sankwasa · Minister of urban and rural development James Sankwasa · minister James Sankwasa · Hon. Sankwasa · Minister of Urban and Rural Development, James Sankwasa · Adolf Kaure Urban and Rural Development Minister James Sankwasa · urban development minister James Sankwasa
Minister of Urban and Rural Development directing municipalities on debt collection, decentralisation of youth and sports functions, and traditional authority governance.
James Sankwasainformed ofdegazetting process for Seibeb's chieftainship
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“In a letter dated 22 September 2025, urban and rural development minister James Sankwasa informed Seibeb that the ministry had started the degazetting process due to long-running dispute between the Dâure Daman Traditional Authority and a community group.”
Minister James Sankwasaquestionswhy some Namibians wait 15+ years for land without local authority response
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“Urban and rural development minister James Sankwasa questions why some Namibians wait 15 or more years for land without receiving any response from local authorities.”
Minister James Sankwasaurgedregional and local authority councillors to consider Namibian companies when awarding tenders
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“Urban and Rural Development Minister James Sankwasa has urged regional and local authority councillors to consider Namibian companies when awarding tenders.”
Urban and rural development minister James Sankwasa argues that traditional chiefs in Namibia are appointed from royal bloodlines and accountable only to royal families, noting that Namibia's monarchies control land, influence local governance and receive state funding. The article contends that these monarchies are political actors rather than neutral cultural institutions and traces their roots to pre-colonial systems of social hierarchy later reshaped by colonial administrations.
Why it matters
Minister's call to abolish traditional monarchies raises fundamental constitutional and governance questions about land control and state funding.
Urban and rural development minister James Sankwasa argues that traditional chiefs in Namibia are appointed from royal bloodlines and accountable only to royal families, noting that Namibia's monarchies control land, influence local governance and receive state funding. The article contends that these monarchies are political actors rather than neutral cultural institutions and traces their roots to pre-colonial systems of social hierarchy later reshaped by colonial administrations.
Local authorities are owed over N$162 million by government ministries, institutions, and businesses, prompting the government to direct municipalities to disconnect water and electricity services to defaulting entities. The urban and rural development minister last month directed all local authorities to cut off services from ministries with outstanding debts failing to settle accounts by 5 June.
The Traditional Authorities Act allows community members to remove chiefs or heads from office if there is sufficient reason and the process follows customary law. This contradicts a recent statement by the minister of urban and rural development that chiefs can only be removed through royal family processes.
Urban and Rural Development Minister James Sankwasa has directed municipalities to disconnect water and electricity to government ministries, state-owned enterprises and large private companies with outstanding municipal debts. The directive addresses a longstanding problem of municipalities losing revenue while carrying billions in unpaid debt, but raises complexity around disconnecting government-funded institutions that provide essential services.
An editorial argues that Namibia's housing crisis — affecting roughly 70% of Namibians priced out of the formal market — stems from systemic failure and that the state should provide land, regulate construction supply chains, and launch a publicly funded building programme rather than rely on commercial banks and the free market.
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has called for urgent investment in agriculture, rural development and youth participation in farming, emphasizing that economic transformation depends on modernising agriculture while preserving cultural identity. She said the Omaludi Agricultural Festival demonstrates how agriculture and tourism can work together to create economic opportunities for local communities.
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah said at the opening of the Omaludi Agricultural Festival in Ohangwena that development must not come at the expense of cultural identity. She noted the festival boosts the local economy through accommodation, transport, and informal trade, and announced the government will focus on improving existing agricultural schemes rather than establishing new ones.
Activist Sem David has called on the City of Windhoek and Ministry of Urban and Rural Development to release full details of mayor Sackarias Uunona's trip to the World Urban Forum in Baku, Azerbaijan, questioning the purpose and cost of the visit and why technical officials were not sent instead.
Johannes Asino has filed an urgent application in the High Court of Namibia to challenge the minister of urban and rural development's January decision recognising Malakia Shoombe as the new chief of the Uukolonkadhi Traditional Authority, following the death of chief Daniel Shooya in October 2024. Asino claims he is the rightful successor, nominated by the late chief in 1996 and endorsed by the royal family, and alleges the minister's decision was unlawful and procedurally unfair.
The Ministry of Urban and Rural Development has launched an investigation into Omaruru Municipality over allegations of double plot allocations, governance failures, and irregular accommodation arrangements involving the chief executive, as well as failure to hold regular council meetings. Minister James Sankwasa said some allegations appear valid while others stem from misunderstandings, and an internal audit is pending to determine the scope of the issues.
Homeowners in the Kaisosi housing development in Rundu say they have been paying mortgages since 2022 for houses that remain unfinished, despite securing bank financing two years ago. Helmsman Group, the development company behind the project, has acknowledged the financial pressure on families but attributes delays to challenges beyond its control.
Thirty-six years after independence, Namibia has strong democratic institutions and laws but governance remains ineffective at local level, with power struggles in local authorities reflecting deeper failures in decentralisation and alignment of roles, according to the Windhoek Observer.
Phil ya Nangoloh, founder of NamRights Incorporated, has called for an investigation into alleged administrative irregularities and governance failures at the Uukwambi Traditional Authority, arguing they undermine administrative justice and constitutional rights and may create conditions for corruption.
Urban and rural development minister James Sankwasa has warned against political and administrative power struggles as the government decentralises youth empowerment, sports promotion and development planning functions to all 14 regional councils, with 327 staff members expected to be seconded during the transition. Sankwasa stressed that decentralisation cannot succeed if institutions compete for authority and called for clarity on reporting lines and responsibilities between governors, regional councils and decentralised staff.
The City of Windhoek announced a reduction in debt from N$888 million to N$869 million, but residents criticized the municipality for spending heavily on salaries while service delivery remains poor, citing issues with waste collection and road repairs.
Urban and rural development minister James Sankwasa has warned local authorities against duplicating debt collection functions, saying councils risk wasting scarce resources.
Aruvita Kayoka has been named as the new chief of the Gciriku Traditional Authority, announced by urban and rural development minister James Sankwasa on Tuesday. The position had been vacant for nearly seven years following a dispute between two factions after the death of chief Kassian Shiyambi in 2019.
Minister of Urban and Rural Development James Sankwasa has expressed concern over what he calls a "mushrooming" of traditional chiefs across Namibia, with the number of recognised traditional authorities rising from 34 in 1998 to over 50 today. He has ordered traditional chiefs to prove their lineage to clarify jurisdictions and prevent overlap in the administration of communal land.
Kunene Regional Council employees face a financial crisis after minister James Sankwasa blocked funds allocated to the council following a dispute over the appointment of acting chief regional officer George Kamseb in 2021. Staff have not received salaries for March and April, and the council has taken the matter to the High Court while seeking alternative payment methods.
Urban and rural development minister James Sankwasa has halted government funds to the Kunene Regional Council, demanding removal of acting chief regional officer George Kamseb, whose appointment is being challenged in court. The council's chairperson Western Muharukua describes the fund freeze as unlawful pressure and says it threatens to disrupt salaries, services, and capital projects; the council plans to seek judicial review.
Katima Mulilo CEO Raphael Liswaniso has been suspended again by the minister of urban and rural development, days after an arbitrator ordered his previous suspension lifted and directed he be paid lost income. His representative claims the fresh suspension violates the binding arbitration award and the rule of law.
Over half of Namibia's 1.5 million urban residents are straining municipal capacity to deliver housing, infrastructure, and services, with informal settlements housing over 40% of residents in some towns. Officials have called for improved governance, accountability, and collaboration between councils and municipal staff to manage urbanisation effectively.
Suspended Katima Mulilo Town Council chief executive Raphael Liswaniso, who won a labour case against his first suspension on 28 October, was suspended a second time on Monday. Liswaniso and his lawyer argue that minister of urban and rural development James Sankwasa forced the council into the latest suspension through a directive letter marked urgent, while a local authorities president raises concerns about the arbitrary suspension of CEOs under political pressure.
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah announced plans to establish a manufacturing facility in Otjiwarongo to produce cost-effective building materials locally, reducing reliance on imports and lowering construction costs. The initiative is part of broader efforts to tackle high housing costs and improve access to affordable housing for ordinary Namibians.
Namibia's Traditional Authorities Act and Council of Traditional Leaders Act are undergoing review to address growing concerns about splinter groups seeking independent recognition based on geography rather than shared ancestry and culture. Minister James Sankwasa said the current laws, in place for over two decades, must be reformed to distinguish between chiefs and community leaders and prevent the framework from being exploited for political purposes.
Minister James Sankwasa visited Rundu to help resolve a years-long succession dispute over the Gciriku Traditional Authority following the death of Hompa Kassian Shiyambi in 2019, but a consultation session ended without naming a successor. The minister indicated that additional stakeholders must be heard and that customary law, rather than courts, should determine the leadership outcome, while the vacancy continues to block land allocation and traditional administration functions.
Minister Sankwasa opened a consultative workshop in Otjiwarongo to review and amend the Traditional Authorities Act 2000 and the Council of Traditional Leaders Act 1997. The minister cited ongoing problems including leadership disputes, proliferation of communities seeking recognition, and the misuse of the Acts for political purposes rather than preserving traditions and cultures.
Minister James Sankwasa said the current Traditional Authorities Act is outdated and misunderstood, leading to tribal splinter groups seeking separate recognition rather than maintaining cohesive traditional leadership structures. The government is proposing amendments to the act and holding a workshop with traditional leaders to gather input on governance and accountability reforms.