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

Ministry of Urban and Rural Development

Also known as: MURD

Government ministry responsible for housing, urban development, sanitation, and local authority oversight in Namibia, criticized for budget cuts and unmet service delivery targets.

Agriculture & Land

Bondelswarts Traditional Authority offices closed for years

The News

Bondelswarts Traditional Authority offices at Gibeon and Warmbad have been closed for over two years and more than eight years respectively, delaying communal land services and affecting residents' ability to obtain land rights certification. The closures stem from a chieftainship succession dispute and ongoing High Court case challenging the October 2025 inauguration of chief Denzyl Christians.

22 April 2026 · The Namibian →

Wednesday 22 April

  1. Bondelswarts Traditional Authority offices closed for years

    Bondelswarts Traditional Authority offices at Gibeon and Warmbad have been closed for over two years and more than eight years respectively, delaying communal land services and affecting residents' ability to obtain land rights certification. The closures stem from a chieftainship succession dispute and ongoing High Court case challenging the October 2025 inauguration of chief Denzyl Christians.

    22 April 2026 · The Namibian →

Monday 13 April

  1. Dâure Daman Traditional Authority claims exclusion from Act workshop

    The Dâure Daman Traditional Authority says it was not notified of a government workshop in Otjiwarongo to discuss amendments to the Traditional Authority Act, though the urban ministry spokesperson says all traditional authority leaders were invited through the Council of Traditional Leaders. The authority's adviser expressed concerns about lack of transparency on proposed changes and called for traditional authorities to have greater legal rights over natural resources.

    13 April 2026 · The Namibian →

  2. Ongwediva and Outapi struggle with ageing sewerage systems

    Ongwediva's sewerage infrastructure, designed for 5,000 residents, now serves over 33,000 people and is operating far beyond capacity, while Outapi faces similar pressures with a system over 29 years old. Both towns cite funding constraints and lack of central government support as barriers to upgrading their wastewater treatment facilities and infrastructure.

    13 April 2026 · New Era →

Friday 10 April

  1. Divundu council chief defends land and service delivery record

    Divundu Village Council CEO Athanasius Maghumbo responded to community concerns about land compensation delays, plot allocation criteria, and basic services, stating the council has paid N$18 million in compensation and does not sideline local residents in allocation processes. He disputed allegations of relocation to unserviced areas and untreated wastewater discharge, and said the council is prioritizing upgrading its oxidation pond and developing two new townships once funding becomes available.

    10 April 2026 · New Era →

Thursday 9 April

  1. Lake Liambezi farmers harvest crops before advancing floodwaters

    Farmers around Lake Liambezi are rushing to harvest maize, sorghum and other crops weeks early as floodwaters advance from Angola through the Zambezi Region. The premature harvesting follows earlier locust damage, and officials warn more severe flooding is expected in coming weeks, with water levels potentially rising above seven metres and affecting multiple constituencies including Kabbe South, Sibbinda and Katima Rural.

    9 April 2026 · New Era →

Wednesday 8 April

  1. Ministry receives N$2b budget; housing backlog priority

    The Ministry of Urban and Rural Development has been allocated N$2 billion for 2026/2027, with an additional N$1.5 billion from the National Housing Enterprise to accelerate housing construction and address Namibia's housing backlog. The ministry has prioritised informal settlement formalisation and rural development, though infrastructure constraints—particularly ageing sewer systems requiring an estimated N$2.5 billion in upgrades—threaten to slow progress.

    8 April 2026 · New Era →

Thursday 2 April

  1. Omaruru advances housing, market projects amid infrastructure limits

    The Omaruru Town Council is developing housing, market, and electrification projects to improve living conditions, but faces constraints from land servicing limitations and bulk infrastructure capacity, particularly a reliance on septic systems that restricts town expansion.

    2 April 2026 · New Era →

Monday 30 March

  1. Windhoek needs N$1 billion yearly to address housing backlog

    The City of Windhoek requires N$1 billion annually over four years to tackle a 60,000-unit housing backlog driven by rapid urban migration and insufficient funding. Current annual funding of around N$290 million falls far short, and the city may miss its 2030 deadline to address the shortage unless more resources are allocated.

    30 March 2026 · The Namibian →

Thursday 26 March

  1. MURD launches five-year plan aligned to Vision 2030

    The Ministry of Urban and Rural Development launched its 2025–2030 strategic plan, anchored on sustainable human settlement, effective governance, and regional development. Minister James Sankwasa urged officials to adopt long-term thinking to support Namibia's industrialisation and align with Vision 2030, warning against short-sighted approaches.

    26 March 2026 · New Era →

Sunday 22 March

  1. New housing task force must learn from failed mass programme

    A land and spatial sciences professional warns that Namibia's new presidential task force on land and housing risks repeating the mistakes of the failed Mass Housing Development Programme unless it addresses past failures—including poor accountability, weak project management, cost overruns, unaffordable units, inadequate local authority support, and lack of transparency.

    22 March 2026 · The Namibian →

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