Josef Kauandenge

Also known as: the Nudo lawmaker

Josef Kauandenge — president of the Asoli Progressive Party, criticizing government policies on medicine shortages and presidential promises.

2025-01-152026-08-21

What’s been said

Key points drawn from coverage. Tap a point to see the original sentence.

March 2026
19 MarThe Namibian
Josef Kauandenge announced Asoli has become a political party pending Electoral Commission registration
Source
“Association of Localised Interests (Asoli) president Josef Kauandenge has announced that the association has now become a political party pending a formal registration submission to the Electoral Commission of Namibia.”
Kauandenge’s Asoli becomes a political party
January 2026
28 JanThe Namibian
Josef Kauandenge said councillors with only Grade 12 would be hindered in executing their jobs
Source
“Association for Localised Interest president Josef Kauandenge said the fact that some councillors only have Grade 12 would be a hindrance in executing their jobs.”
Calls for ‘qualified councillors’ mount
23 JanThe Namibian
Asoli president Josef Kauandenge said well-connected individuals are freed from loan repayment obligations while impoverished Namibians are denied access to funds
Source
“"It is disheartening and totally unacceptable that well-connected individuals with means are often freed from their obligations to repay loans when they default, while the majority of impoverished Namibians suffer since they are denied access to funds that could have improved their lives" Asoli president Josef Kauandenge said on Wednesday.”
Asoli demands answers on development bank's N$579 million loan write-off

Society

Ovaherero Traditional Authority rejects proposal to abolish paramount chieftaincy

The News

The Ovaherero Traditional Authority has rejected calls to abolish the paramount chieftaincy amid an ongoing leadership dispute between rival factions over succession following the 2021 death of paramount chief Vekuii Rukoro. The matter is currently in the High Court, with competing factions supporting different candidates and legal costs reaching an estimated N$10 million.

17 August 2026 · The Namibian →

Monday 17 August

Ovaherero Traditional Authority rejects proposal to abolish paramount chieftaincy
The Ovaherero Traditional Authority has rejected calls to abolish the paramount chieftaincy amid an ongoing leadership dispute between rival factions over succession following the 2021 death of paramount chief Vekuii Rukoro. The matter is currently in the High Court, with competing factions supporting different candidates and legal costs reaching an estimated N$10 million.
17 August 2026 · The Namibian →

Thursday 25 June

Bryan Eiseb nominated to lead Namibia's Anti-Corruption Commission
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has nominated Bryan Eiseb, currently head of the Financial Intelligence Centre, to lead the Anti-Corruption Commission, with Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare tabling a motion in the National Assembly for parliamentary approval. Eiseb, 55, would succeed Paulus Noa, whose term as director general ends this month.
25 June 2026 · The Namibian →

Wednesday 17 June

South African group says Namibians not targets of anti-immigrant campaign
The founder of South Africa's March and March organisation, which focuses on illegal immigration, has said Namibians are "law-abiding citizens" and not targets of anti-immigrant sentiment, despite xenophobic attacks on foreign nationals in South Africa. She described Nigerians as the most problematic nationality, saying they enter without documentation and engage in criminal activity.
17 June 2026 · The Namibian →

Thursday 11 June

Acting prosecutor general plans to exit by year-end
Martha Imalwa, the acting prosecutor general, says she is looking forward to leaving office at the end of the year. The Judicial Service Commission has restarted recruitment for a substantive prosecutor general after none of the eight shortlisted candidates met the required standard in a written assessment.
11 June 2026 · The Namibian →

Tuesday 9 June

National Assembly criticized for slow progress on major bills
The National Assembly faces criticism over legislative effectiveness as the annual budget remains the only bill to make significant progress in 2024; major legislation including the land bill and regional councils bill failed to pass and remain under discussion. Political analysts and former lawmakers attribute the slow pace to institutional, procedural and political challenges including poorly prepared draft legislation, extensive public consultations, limited sitting days, and capacity constraints within sponsoring ministries.
9 June 2026 · The Namibian →

Tuesday 2 June

Businessman denies political role in Namibia fuel supply deal
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."
2 June 2026 · The Namibian →

Thursday 21 May

Medicine shortages in public hospitals pressing presidential concern
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah said medicine shortages in public hospitals are a major burden on her administration, after the Ministry of Health and Social Services revealed national pharmaceutical stock levels are at 60%, below the government's 80% minimum target.
21 May 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Monday 18 May

Asoli Progressive Party criticizes government silence on medicine shortages
The Asoli Progressive Party president Josef Kauandenge has criticized President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah and Health Minister Esperance Luvindao for not addressing public shortages of critical medicines in state hospitals, saying the president should have explained the causes and outlined remedial measures, and questioning the ministry's commitment to eliminating middlemen in procurement.
18 May 2026 · The Namibian →
Asoli criticizes President's silence on hospital medicine shortages
The Asoli Progressive Party has criticized President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah for what it describes as insufficient response to ongoing medicine shortages in public hospitals, with the party's president Josef Kauandenge saying the government has not acted with enough urgency. Public concern has grown in recent weeks after patients were referred to private pharmacies due to stock-outs, though the Ministry of Health and Social Services announced it will now provide monthly updates on pharmaceutical supplies, with current stock levels at about 60% of required quantities.
18 May 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Monday 13 April

Asoli leader criticizes failure to appoint Uerikua to cabinet
The Asoli Progressive Party's Josef Kauandenge has criticized what he calls "theatrics and hypocrisy" surrounding the death of James Uerikua in a car accident on 3 April, questioning why someone now widely praised was never appointed as a Cabinet minister during his lifetime. Kauandenge urged Namibians to recognize individuals while they are alive rather than only after death, and criticized the politicization of funerals.
13 April 2026 · The Namibian →

Monday 23 March

Asoli leader criticizes president's first year promises as unrealistic
Asoli Progressive Party president Josef Kauandenge has criticized president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah's first year in office, saying her key policy promises—including free tertiary education, public healthcare use by officials, stadium rebuilding, and airline revamp—are unrealistic political statements made without implementation timelines or feasibility studies.
23 March 2026 · The Namibian →

Thursday 19 March

Asoli association formally becomes political party
Josef Kauandenge has announced that the Association of Localised Interests (Asoli) has become the Asoli Progressive Party and will submit registration documents to the Electoral Commission of Namibia for the 2029 elections. The party, formed following Kauandenge's departure from Nudo, aims to address social and economic issues that Kauandenge says other political parties have neglected.
19 March 2026 · The Namibian →

Wednesday 28 January

Political parties urged to mandate qualifications for councillors
Minister of urban and rural development James Sankwasa and political analysts are calling for mandatory education and qualifications for councillors to improve governance and development, citing concerns that unqualified councillors struggle to understand council documents and may be manipulated by officials. Sankwasa said political parties are reluctant to set minimum requirements because they fear losing candidates to other parties.
28 January 2026 · The Namibian →

Friday 23 January

Asoli demands transparency on DBN's N$579 million loan write-off
The Association for Localised Interest has called for the Development Bank of Namibia to explain and publicly name those responsible for the N$579 million in loans written off this week, questioning why well-connected defaulters are freed from repayment obligations while poor Namibians are denied access to credit.
23 January 2026 · The Namibian →