Thursday, 23 July 2026

Namibia’s news, on the hour · Est. 2026

Thursday, 23 July 2026

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Namibian press · Person

McHenry Venaani

Also known as: Popular Democratic Movement leader McHenry Venaani · shadow president Venaani

PDM leader who has called for dairy industry revival, uranium-driven economic growth, and resolution of the Orange River border dispute with South Africa.

2021-08-192026-07-23

What’s been said

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

April 2022
9 AprThe Namibian
McHenry Venaani ate cake at stadium
Source
“Mara this McHenry Venaani must not forget we still remember he ate the cake and went on Twitter to complain about Namibians left outside the stadium.”
National Presidential Grandstanding Day 2022
9 AprThe Namibian
shadow president Venaani wrote a private love note to president Hage Geingob asking for a black car
Source
“Now we are told he wrote a private love note to president Hage Geingob, asking if he could "please have a black car" to look more official.”
National Presidential Grandstanding Day 2022
August 2021
19 AugThe Namibian
McHenry Venaani said death robbed Namibia of a dedicated servant
Source
“Similarly, Venaani said death has robbed Namibia of a dedicated servant of the people and an individual unwavering in his beliefs and ideals.”
‘He lived his life with zero fear’

World & Region

Namibia-South Africa Orange River border dispute remains unresolved

The News

Namibia and South Africa failed to resolve their decades-old dispute over the Orange River boundary during the fourth Binational Commission in Pretoria. Namibia contends the border should run through the middle of the river under modern international law, while South Africa maintains it follows the northern bank under the 1890 Heligoland-Zanzibar Treaty; President Nandi-Ndaitwah said the matter will now be handled directly with South African President Ramaphosa.

20 July 2026 · The Namibian →

Monday 20 July

Namibia-South Africa Orange River border dispute remains unresolved
Namibia and South Africa failed to resolve their decades-old dispute over the Orange River boundary during the fourth Binational Commission in Pretoria. Namibia contends the border should run through the middle of the river under modern international law, while South Africa maintains it follows the northern bank under the 1890 Heligoland-Zanzibar Treaty; President Nandi-Ndaitwah said the matter will now be handled directly with South African President Ramaphosa.
20 July 2026 · The Namibian →
Venaani backs Nuclear Bill to grow uranium-driven economy
PDM president McHenry Venaani has endorsed the draft Nuclear Bill, arguing that Namibia should use its uranium resources to drive economic growth and value addition rather than export raw minerals. The government has concluded nationwide public consultations on the proposed legislation, which seeks to modernise the nuclear regulatory framework and establish three specialised institutions to oversee the peaceful use of nuclear technology.
20 July 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Friday 17 July

Venaani calls on president to address Orange River border dispute
PDM leader McHenry Venaani has urged President Nandi-Ndaitwah to use her visit to South Africa to push for resolution of the long-standing Orange River boundary dispute with South Africa. Venaani says the dispute has remained unresolved since independence and requires urgent political attention, and that he has tabled a motion in the National Assembly calling for the matter to be debated.
17 July 2026 · The Namibian →

Wednesday 15 July

PDM leader urges immediate revival of Namibia's dairy industry
PDM president McHenry Venaani has called on President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah to procure 1,000 high-yield dairy cattle and launch a comprehensive national dairy revitalisation programme centred on the Vhungu Vhungu Dairy Farm in Kavango East, citing food security, reduced import dependence, and job creation as aims.
15 July 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Monday 13 July

Parliament approves ACC chief, warns against selective justice
The National Assembly unanimously approved Bryan Eiseb as director general of the Anti-Corruption Commission while lawmakers across parties warned the institution must pursue corruption without political interference and shed its reputation for allowing politically connected cases to go unpunished.
13 July 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Saturday 11 July

Parliament backs Eiseb as Anti-Corruption Commission director general
Members of the National Assembly unanimously endorsed President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah's nomination of Bryan Eiseb as the next director general of the Anti-Corruption Commission, with MPs across party lines calling for stronger action against corruption and urging the commission to pursue cases without fear or favor.
11 July 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
Opposition blocks vote on ECN chairperson without documentation
Several opposition parties are refusing to approve Gerson Sindano's appointment as Electoral Commission of Namibia chairperson until parliament provides all documentation on his nomination, including interview minutes and selection committee recommendations. Opposition leaders also raised concerns that Sindano's previous role as a personal assistant to Swapo's secretary general could undermine the commission's independence.
11 July 2026 · The Namibian →

Friday 10 July

Opposition demands access to ECN selection records before vote
The Electoral Commission of Namibia leadership appointments have sparked a constitutional debate over Parliament's oversight powers. Affirmative Repositioning leader Job Amupanda demanded postponement of the vote on the President's ECN nominees until lawmakers are provided with recruitment, interview, and selection committee records, arguing MPs cannot exercise informed judgment without them.
10 July 2026 · New Era →

Friday 3 July

Government dispatches teams as xenophobic attacks threaten Namibians in SA
Namibia's Minister of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security Lucia Iipumbu said the government has dispatched two teams to South Africa and identified safety shelters as xenophobic violence rises and about 100 Namibians seek repatriation from the Namibian High Commission in Pretoria.
3 July 2026 · Informanté →

Wednesday 1 July

PM dismisses salary delay claims as technical matter
Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare has apologised to Kunene Region public servants over delayed salary payments and rejected claims by PDM leader McHenry Venaani that the delay was politically motivated. Venaani alleged that the Minister of Urban and Rural Development had stopped regional employees' salaries over a dispute with the former Chief Regional Officer, questioning the legal basis for withholding public servants' pay.
1 July 2026 · Informanté →

Tuesday 30 June

PDM leader accuses Swapo of delaying Kunene council salaries
PDM leader McHenry Venaani accused Swapo of political retaliation over delayed salary payments to 94 employees of the Kunene Regional Council, including four councillors, whose June salaries were blocked following intervention by the urban and rural development minister. Prime minister Elijah Ngurare denied deliberate withholding and attributed the delays to administrative and technical issues.
30 June 2026 · The Namibian →

Wednesday 24 June

PM Ngurare says government has capacity to address Angolan child begging
Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare responded to opposition criticism about unhoused Angolan children visible at traffic lights across Namibia, stating the government has capacity to resolve the issue and noting that bilateral discussions are underway with the Angolan government.
24 June 2026 · Informanté →

Sunday 21 June

Parliament disrupted again as opposition challenges speaker authority
The national assembly adjourned Wednesday after opposition parliamentarians clashed with speaker Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila over her authorisation of the finance minister to speak on behalf of the prime minister. The editorial argues that repeated parliamentary disruptions reflect a failure of political leadership across parties and have prevented debate on critical legislation, including the petroleum bill.
21 June 2026 · The Namibian →

Wednesday 17 June

Windhoek remembers Biggs van Wyk, city's longtime observer
Biggs van Wyk, who sat observing Windhoek's central business district for over two decades, has died at age 83. Politicians and residents paid tribute to the figure, whom many described as a guardian angel or watchman who had become part of the city's identity.
17 June 2026 · The Namibian →
National Assembly descends into disorder over speaker's rulings
Opposition parliamentarians from the PDM, AR, and IPC challenged speaker Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila on Wednesday over the manner in which she was conducting proceedings, with members arguing she was dismissing points of order without allowing them to be heard. The confrontation erupted after finance minister Ericah Shafudah was authorised to table and read a debate speech on behalf of prime minister Elijah Ngurare, a move strongly opposed by opposition parties.
17 June 2026 · The Namibian →

Monday 15 June

Churches welcome housing emergency but warn declarations lack teeth
Churches and analysts have welcomed Namibia's proposed housing state of emergency, but caution that declarations alone will not address a backlog of over 300,000 homes. The Council of Churches in Namibia says the move must be accompanied by concrete measures, adequate resources, and clear implementation timelines, and calls for faster implementation of free residential plots and increased investment in land servicing.
15 June 2026 · The Namibian →

Saturday 13 June

MPs demand tighter controls on microlender salary deductions
Members of parliament have called for stricter controls on microlenders' direct access to civil servants' salaries, arguing that such deductions worsen financial strain on public servants. The parliamentary economics committee heard concerns about excessive deductions and their effects on disposable income and mental health, with plans to meet with the Microlenders Association next week.
13 June 2026 · The Namibian →

Thursday 11 June

Minister seeks response from German farm owner over worker evictions
The Minister of Agriculture has expressed concern over non-response from Joachim Rust, owner of Okamuru Farm in Waterberg, who is allegedly harassing and threatening to evict fifth-generation farm workers. The farm workers, whose history on the land predates the colonial period, report facing pressure including livestock confiscation and restricted movement since the farm's sale from the previous Schneider family.
11 June 2026 · Informanté →
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 →

Wednesday 10 June

Minor offenders seek criminal record expungement after serving sentences
People convicted of minor offences in Namibia are calling for amendments to laws allowing petty convictions to be removed from criminal records, arguing that permanent criminal histories prevent them from rebuilding their lives. The current Criminal Procedure Act of 1997 makes no statutory provision for expungement, leaving individuals barred from decent employment unless directly pardoned by the president.
10 June 2026 · The Namibian →
Government bypasses Namcor for N$7.2 billion Vitol fuel contract
The government faced criticism in the National Assembly for awarding Vitol Bahrain a N$7.2-billion emergency fuel contract while bypassing Namcor. Opposition and former officials raised concerns that the arrangement could jeopardise fuel security and undermine the downstream fuel sector's competitiveness, while the prime minister said Cabinet discussions on the matter are ongoing.
10 June 2026 · The Namibian →

Tuesday 9 June

Ex-mayor defends president's appointment of relative as adviser
Former Ongwediva mayor Taarah Shalyefu has defended President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah's appointment of her retired relative Chris Nghaamwa as adviser to attorney general Festus Mbandeka, saying there is nothing wrong with appointing a qualified individual regardless of family ties. The appointment has drawn criticism from opposition leader McHenry Venaani, who said it undermines confidence in governance.
9 June 2026 · The Namibian →

Monday 8 June

President appoints retired relative as legal adviser
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah appointed retired chief legal adviser Chris Nghaamwa, her relative, as an adviser to attorney general Festus Mbandeka effective 1 June. State House defended the appointment, stating Nghaamwa's qualifications and experience in government legal roles made him suitable, and that family relationships do not render individuals unsuitable for public service.
8 June 2026 · The Namibian →

Wednesday 27 May

Otjozondjupa region holds first regional Genocide Day commemoration
Residents of Otjozondjupa will visit sacred gravesites of those who died in the 1904-1908 Ohamakari battle—a war of resistance by the Ovaherero against German imperial forces—with commemoration events hosted at the Okakarara Cultural Centre. The regional governor calls on residents, particularly youth, to attend and preserve the memory of the Ovaherero sacrifices.
27 May 2026 · The Namibian →
Okandjoze Chiefs call for action on genocide reparations
The Okandjoze Chiefs' Assembly on Genocide has called on the Namibian government to adopt a "business unusual" approach to genocide apology and reparations, saying years of discussions have produced little action. The group urged the government to move away from symbolic discussions and engage descendants of Ovaherero, Ovambanderu and Nama communities differently on restorative justice.
27 May 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Friday 22 May

PDM leader Venaani denies luxury car purchase plan
McHenry Venaani, leader of the Popular Democratic Movement, has dismissed allegations that the party plans to buy him a luxury Land Cruiser worth N$2.5 million.
22 May 2026 · Namibian Sun →

Tuesday 19 May

Former PDM MP Hamata denies plans to join Swapo
Hidipo Hamata, who recently quit the Popular Democratic Movement, has clarified he is not joining the ruling Swapo party and may take time to reflect and pursue other work instead.
19 May 2026 · New Era →

Friday 8 May

161-page dossier alleges fraud, corruption by police chief Shikongo
A Windhoek resident submitted a 161-page dossier to the Security Commission in April 2025 requesting President Nandi-Ndaitwah remove inspector general Joseph Shikongo from office, alleging corruption, criminal interference, intimidation and abuse of state institutions. Nandi-Ndaitwah appointed major general Anne-Marie Nainda as acting inspector general, though the president did not publicly state reasons for the suspension.
8 May 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Thursday 7 May

President removes police inspector general citing State House breach
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah removed Police Inspector General Joseph Shikongo and replaced him with Major General Anne-Marie Nainda, citing a security incident in which a naked man was found inside the presidential residence as the reason for the removal.
7 May 2026 · The Namibian →
Venaani defends President's constitutional authority to hire and fire
PDM leader McHenry Venaani said President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has the constitutional authority to dismiss senior officials without necessarily giving public explanations, in response to the suspension of police inspector general Joseph Shikongo. Venaani argued that leaders make key decisions based on sensitive information unavailable to the public.
7 May 2026 · Windhoek Observer →