Lilian Lutuhezi

Independent Patriots for Change shadow minister and parliamentarian focused on child protection, gender equality, and welfare issues in Namibia.

2026-01-202026-07-22

What’s been said

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

March 2026
6 MarThe Namibian
Lilian Lutuhezi questioned health minister about suspected induced abortions
Source
“Independent Patriots for Change shadow minister of gender equality and child welfare Lilian Lutuhezi on Thursday questioned health minister Esperance Luvindao in parliament about reports that nearly 80% of miscarriages recorded at Katima Mulilo State Hospital may be induced abortions.”
IPC raises concerns over suspected induced abortions at Katima Mulilo hospital

Politics

Lutuhezi urges flexibility on social grant verification deadline

The News

The Independent Patriots for Change shadow minister of gender equality has called on the gender ministry to ensure vulnerable social grant beneficiaries do not lose their income during verification, after the Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare set a July end-of-month deadline for verification or risk losing payments. Lutuhezi said suspension of grant payments before verification is completed will cause unnecessary hardship and asked what measures would protect beneficiaries unable to meet the deadline due to illness, disability, old age or lack of transport.

21 July 2026 · The Namibian →

Yesterday

Lutuhezi urges flexibility on social grant verification deadline
The Independent Patriots for Change shadow minister of gender equality has called on the gender ministry to ensure vulnerable social grant beneficiaries do not lose their income during verification, after the Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare set a July end-of-month deadline for verification or risk losing payments. Lutuhezi said suspension of grant payments before verification is completed will cause unnecessary hardship and asked what measures would protect beneficiaries unable to meet the deadline due to illness, disability, old age or lack of transport.
21 July 2026 · The Namibian →

Friday 17 July

Welfare ministry says social workers under unsustainable pressure
The welfare ministry has acknowledged mounting pressure on social workers due to staff shortages and case complexity, with Minister Emma Kantema noting that repeated exposure to severe cases involving child abuse, trafficking and family disputes leads to secondary trauma and burnout. The ministry has implemented wellness programmes, supportive supervision and debriefing sessions to support workers' mental health.
17 July 2026 · New Era →
Welfare ministry reports social workers losing more than 20 annually
Namibia's welfare ministry has warned that social workers face mounting pressure and unsustainable workloads due to staff shortages and the increasing complexity of cases involving child abuse, neglect, exploitation, trafficking and family disputes. Minister Emma Kantema told Parliament that social workers are exposed to secondary trauma, compassion fatigue and occupational burnout, and the ministry has implemented wellness programmes and supportive supervision to support their mental well-being.
17 July 2026 · New Era →

Thursday 16 July

Ministry identifies 373 street-connected children in 2023
The Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare identified 373 children living and working on the streets in 2023 and plans to conduct a regional study this year to determine actual numbers and social and economic factors driving children to street life. The Khomas region recorded the highest number of street-connected children.
16 July 2026 · New Era →

Monday 13 July

Over 2 600 nursing graduates fail national HPCNA assessment
More than 2 600 nursing and midwifery graduates have failed the national exam required to practise in Namibia since the test became compulsory in January 2025, raising concerns about the quality of nursing training. The Health Professions Councils of Namibia reported that 2 743 of 5 427 graduates evaluated passed, while 2 683 failed, including those who did not sit for the exam.
13 July 2026 · The Namibian →

Saturday 4 April

Lawmakers mourn death of Swapo MP James Uerikua
Swapo member of parliament and former Otjozondjupa governor James Uerikua died in a vehicle accident in Otjozondjupa on Friday. Fellow lawmakers described him as a skilled debater and intellectually gifted parliamentarian, mourning his loss to the National Assembly and the country.
4 April 2026 · The Namibian →

Wednesday 18 March

IPC MP calls for urgent action against child labour in Namibia
IPC parliamentarian Lilian Lutuhezi has called for measures to stop the exploitation of children as labourers on farms, in villages, and as domestic workers, citing a recent case of an Angolan girl arrested from illegal employment. She said the practice violates the Child Care and Protection Act of 2015 and Namibia's international commitments to protect children from exploitation.
18 March 2026 · The Namibian →

Wednesday 11 March

Budget fails to fund gender-based violence shelters, parliamentarian says
An Independent Patriots for Change parliamentarian criticised the recently tabled budget for not addressing the shortage of gender-based violence shelters, noting that Namibia has only eight government-operated shelters with six regions having none. She also highlighted severe shortages in social workers, with Namibia having one social worker for every 17,923 children compared to the international standard of one per 5,000 children.
11 March 2026 · The Namibian →
Finance minister clarifies N$65m NamPost social grant funds
Minister Ericah Shafudah clarified that N$65 million in social grant funds allegedly missing from NamPost between 2009 and 2018 never went missing, but was unclaimed payments held pending reconciliation between NamPost and the Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare. After reconciliation, the funds amounted to N$93 million and were deposited into a statutory fund, with N$58 million remaining unclaimed as of October 2025.
11 March 2026 · The Namibian →

Friday 6 March

IPC raises concerns over induced abortions at Katima Mulilo hospital
An IPC shadow minister questioned the health minister in parliament about reports that nearly 80% of miscarriages at Katima Mulilo State Hospital may be induced abortions, citing concerns about young women using dangerous methods to terminate pregnancies and limited access to family planning services.
6 March 2026 · The Namibian →

Tuesday 20 January

Parliamentary committee inspects health capital projects in Otjozondjupa
A 15-member Parliamentary Standing Committee on Gender Equality and Social Services commenced visits to capital projects initiated by the Ministry of Health and Social Services in Otjozondjupa region. The committee is conducting oversight and evaluation of the projects, following reports from the regional governor that many health infrastructure projects in the region remain dormant, incomplete, or non-functional despite multi-year budgeting.
20 January 2026 · New Era →