Namibia Minute.
24 April 2026
A daily Namibian brief · Est. 2026
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Organization

Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security

Also known as: the ministry · Ministry of Environment and Tourism · environment ministry · Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform · agriculture ministry · the home affairs ministry · Ministry of Home Affairs · ministry · Ministry of Home Affairs, Safety and Security · Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, and Safety and Security · home affairs ministry · Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Land Reform · Department of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform · MAFWLR · Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform (MAFWLR) · Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sport and Culture · Ministry of Fisheries · MHAISS · Namibia Ministry of Health and Social Services · Gender Equality and Child Welfare ministry

Government ministry responsible for immigration, safety, and security matters in Namibia, addressing issues from work permits to statelessness.

Society

Okahandja woman seeks identity help to bury partner

The News

An Okahandja woman is appealing for help to bury her partner of nine years, who died in hospital in March but remains unidentified after authorities found no official records of him despite fingerprint checks. Social workers are investigating through community connections, and the woman hopes public appeal will help trace his family or origin.

15 April 2026 · The Namibian

Wednesday 15 April

  1. Okahandja woman seeks identity help to bury partner

    An Okahandja woman is appealing for help to bury her partner of nine years, who died in hospital in March but remains unidentified after authorities found no official records of him despite fingerprint checks. Social workers are investigating through community connections, and the woman hopes public appeal will help trace his family or origin.

    15 April 2026 · The Namibian

  2. Deputy minister appointments spark debate over costs and efficiency

    Political analysts have questioned President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah's appointment of seven deputy ministers, arguing the move contradicts her cost-cutting agenda and duplicates administrative roles rather than improving service delivery. Supporters counter that merged ministries require deputy ministers for parliamentary accountability, though critics contend the appointments reward campaign loyalists rather than serve governance needs.

    15 April 2026 · The Namibian

Tuesday 14 April

  1. Elephants destroy crops across Omusati region villages

    A herd of elephants has destroyed crops in several villages in Okahao and Tsandi constituencies of Omusati region since last month, with animals feeding on mahangu, maize, melons and damaging property at night. The Environment Ministry says it has requested authorisation to cull one elephant to scare others away and is preparing a helicopter to drive the elephants from affected areas.

    14 April 2026 · The Namibian

  2. Aviation industry calls for faster foreign pilot work permits

    Namibia's aircraft operators say restrictive visa and work permit processes are constraining pilot availability, threatening aviation safety and tourism. The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association notes that Namibia's pilot pool is exhausted, with only 2% of recent pilot job applicants being Namibian nationals, and calls for the Home Affairs ministry to expedite work permits for qualified foreign commercial pilots and flight instructors.

    14 April 2026 · The Namibian

  3. MPs warn persistent agriculture ministry underfunding threatens food security

    Members of parliament have expressed concern over the continued underfunding of the agriculture ministry, with lawmakers warning that declining allocations for land distribution, drought support, and veterinary services risk compromising national food security and employment. The ministry received N$1.8 billion for the current financial year, with over N$1.4 billion allocated to operations and over N$300 million to development.

    14 April 2026 · The Namibian

  4. Deputy minister pledges people-centred home affairs service

    Newly appointed deputy minister Edward Wambo has pledged to deliver efficient, accessible, and people-centred services aligned with Vision 2030, emphasizing teamwork and continuous improvement. Minister Lucia Iipumbu expressed confidence in their working relationship, saying Wambo's track record and grassroots connection will enhance the ministry's service delivery.

    14 April 2026 · The Namibian

  5. Savanna Beef receives export abattoir certificate, begins full-scale slaughter

    Savanna Beef has received an export abattoir certificate from the Ministry of Agriculture, enabling it to export deboned chilled and frozen beef cuts to the UK, EU, and EFTA countries. The company aims to slaughter 50,000 cattle locally each year that would otherwise be exported as weaners to South African feedlots, aligning with Namibia's "Growth at Home" vision and creating around 240 jobs when at full operation.

    14 April 2026 · The Namibian

Monday 13 April

  1. Ministry relocates 57.5 tonnes of flood-damaged crops in Zambezi

    The Ministry of Agriculture has begun moving salvageable crops from flood-affected farmers in Zambezi region to higher ground, having already helped 14 farmers relocate their harvests across multiple areas and deployed 10 tractors. The ministry, which is also providing water tanks and sanitation facilities to relocation centres, plans to continue the operation until 17 April and will then review next steps.

    13 April 2026 · The Namibian

Sunday 12 April

  1. Ministry denies plan to import South African bees

    The agriculture ministry has denied allegations of importing bees from South Africa to boost blueberry harvests, stating that the last application was rejected in 2024 due to South Africa's inability to provide health assurances. The rejection comes amid concerns from local beekeepers and the Namibian Beekeeping Association about threats to native bees and the lack of adequate quarantine systems.

    12 April 2026 · The Namibian

Saturday 11 April

  1. NamWater seeks environmental approval for Haib mining dam

    NamWater is pursuing environmental clearance from the Ministry of Environment and Tourism to build water infrastructure, including a large-scale off-channel storage dam, to supply Koryx Copper's proposed Haib copper mining project in the ||Kharas region with around 20 million cubic metres of water annually from the Orange River. The project is expected to create up to 3,500 jobs during construction and around 1,350 during operations.

    11 April 2026 · The Namibian

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