Government ministry overseeing regional and local authorities, allocating funding for cash-for-work programmes and addressing service delivery challenges nationwide.
Key points drawn from coverage. Tap a point to see the original sentence.
April 2026
The Namibian
Ministry of Urban and Rural Developmentis reportedlysilent and reluctant to intervene
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“Another community member, Benediktus Basson, said the community places the blame on the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development for reportedly being silent and reluctant to intervene.”
Ministry of Urban and Rural Developmentfundedbuilding of 3,106 low-income houses at cost of N$137 million
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“The project, funded through the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development, is being implemented by the Shack Dwellers Federation of Namibia in an effort to tackle the country's housing backlog and improve Namibians' living conditions.”
Ministry of Urban and Rural Developmentdid not grantOutapi Town Council's request for support for infrastructure upgrades
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“However, implementation has been delayed due to funding constraints after a request for support from the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development was not successful.”
Ministry of Urban and Rural Developmentis working with the council onsewer upgrades, currently at advanced stage
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“To address this, the council is working with the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development on sewer upgrades, which are currently at an advanced stage.”
Ministry of Urban and Rural DevelopmentprovidedN$53 million to City of Windhoek for housing this financial year
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“He said the city is faced with the challenge of delivering houses due to funding gaps, with the cost of servicing land estimated at N$900 million. "We only received N$53 million from the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development for this financial year, and from the council we received a bit over N$200 million, bringing the total to N$290 million.”
Ministry of Urban and Rural Developmentcontrolsthe National Housing Policy of 2023
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“The hope is that the task force will support the operationalising of the National Housing Policy of 2023, that is under the control of the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development.”
Ministry of Urban and Rural Developmentledsanitation programmes improving hygiene in rural communities.
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“Sanitation programmes led by the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development and regional councils have improved hygiene in rural communities through household toilets and other facilities.”
The Ministry of Urban and Rural Development has warned regional councils to improve project implementation and service delivery while announcing a N$10 million allocation for the Food/Cash for Work Programme to provide temporary income support to vulnerable households and strengthen rural resilience. According to the deputy minister, 50.5% of Namibia's population lives in rural areas, and while some regional councils have made progress, others struggle with poor implementation.
The Ministry of Urban and Rural Development has warned regional councils to improve project implementation and service delivery while announcing a N$10 million allocation for the Food/Cash for Work Programme to provide temporary income support to vulnerable households and strengthen rural resilience. According to the deputy minister, 50.5% of Namibia's population lives in rural areas, and while some regional councils have made progress, others struggle with poor implementation.
The Ministry of Urban and Rural Development has allocated N$10 million towards a Food/Cash-for-Work Programme for the current financial year to provide temporary income support to vulnerable households and create community assets, in response to Namibia's unemployment rate of 36.9% and youth unemployment of 44.1%.
The City of Windhoek says traffic congestion requires a broader approach combining improved roads, reliable public transport, and sustainable transport solutions, warning that road expansion alone cannot solve congestion as shown by international experience.
The City of Windhoek states that traffic congestion is an urban mobility challenge that cannot be solved by building more roads alone, and argues that successful cities combine road infrastructure with efficient public transport, walking, and cycling facilities. The city notes that most residents in northwestern suburbs rely on public transport, but without a modern mass transit system, demand is met by four-door sedan taxis that contribute significantly to peak-hour traffic volumes.
The City of Windhoek says traffic congestion is an urban mobility challenge that cannot be solved by building more roads alone, arguing that successful cities combine strategic road infrastructure with efficient public transport, walking and cycling facilities.
Health minister Dr Esperance Luvindao announced that Namibia has met international criteria for ending the cholera outbreak after both Grootfontein and Opuwo health districts completed more than 28 days without a confirmed case. The outbreak, declared on 27 November 2025, resulted in 82 laboratory-confirmed cases out of 282 suspected cases and one death in Opuwo district.
The Landless People's Movement has nominated Kalan Goliath to fill the vacant Keetmanshoop municipal seat left by former mayor Melody Swartbooi, who was recalled by the party in June. Goliath's appointment is awaiting completion of statutory procedures including gazetting and ministerial approval.
The Ministry of Urban and Rural Development has approved salary increases for local authority councillors nationwide, recognising their contributions while acknowledging financial challenges facing councils. Part Two municipality mayors will see annual allowances rise from N$102,246 to N$108,380.76, with similar increases across other council positions.
The Ministry of Urban and Rural Development has flagged growing unauthorised spending by regional and local authorities, with minister James Sankwasa warning that some councils are bypassing legal budgeting frameworks, exceeding approved budgets and spending on unapproved projects. Sankwasa said the trend has resulted in mishandling of public funds, diverting resources from essential services and undermining service delivery and public trust.
The Minister of Urban and Rural Development resolved a salary dispute at the Kunene Regional Council by securing agreement to relieve Chief Regional Officer George Kamseb of his duties and appoint an acting chief regional officer, allowing the ministry to release funds for employees' outstanding June 2026 salaries. Kamseb's case remains before the Supreme Court, and he would be reinstated and receive all due remuneration should the court rule in his favour.
Namibia has launched a voluntary repatriation programme for approximately one thousand citizens residing in South Africa due to growing safety concerns. The government is preparing reception sites across all regions and developing a comprehensive settlement and reintegration plan covering school placements, healthcare, and employment referrals.
Henties Bay Municipality is replacing prepaid water meters with conventional ones after contractor ITEM Engineering CC disabled the prepaid vending system over a payment dispute. The municipality's acting CEO claims the contractor is illegally demanding 70% of the outstanding N$12 million balance immediately, though payment was not scheduled until the 2026/27 financial year.
Residents of Henties Bay cannot purchase water after the town's prepaid water vending system was taken offline by the company that installed it, which is demanding final payment. The municipality has introduced emergency water collection measures and is working with the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development to restore the service.
The City of Windhoek says it may seek legislative amendments to the Local Authorities Act after the Supreme Court ruled the municipality lacks legal authority to provide telecommunications services. The city views fibre commercialisation as essential to its smart city ambitions.
Local authorities say maintaining graveyards is challenging due to limited funding, prompting many councils to rely on public-private partnerships. Gibeon Village Council received a N$10,000 donation to clean its old graveyard site through a Cash-for-Work programme recruiting about 20 community workers.
The Namibia Association of Local Authority Officials has raised concerns that the suspension of Omaruru municipality CEO Valentinus Sindongo may violate fair labour practices and due process, warning that procedurally flawed disciplinary measures undermine good governance and public confidence in local authorities.
The Municipality of Swakopmund is pursuing multiple housing, land servicing and infrastructure projects under its 20-Year Structure Plan to accommodate growth and address informal settlement housing needs. Land parcels for low, middle and high-income residential developments have been identified and submitted for approval expected in 2026, while the municipality also progresses commercial township and precinct development projects.
Eenhana Town Council's N$119-million office building project, begun in 2018, has stalled due to delayed funding; N$9 million is urgently needed to complete the finance wing so staff and customers can use it. The council has operated from an eight-office building since 1999 despite Eenhana's population growing from 2,600 to 16,000.
Activist Sem David has called on the City of Windhoek and Ministry of Urban and Rural Development to release full details of mayor Sackarias Uunona's trip to the World Urban Forum in Baku, Azerbaijan, questioning the purpose and cost of the visit and why technical officials were not sent instead.
Johannes Asino has filed an urgent application in the High Court of Namibia to challenge the minister of urban and rural development's January decision recognising Malakia Shoombe as the new chief of the Uukolonkadhi Traditional Authority, following the death of chief Daniel Shooya in October 2024. Asino claims he is the rightful successor, nominated by the late chief in 1996 and endorsed by the royal family, and alleges the minister's decision was unlawful and procedurally unfair.
The Namibian Police report growing complaints from people scammed by unregistered rental finders on social media, with some tenants losing between N$1,500 and N$11,000 in fake deposits for properties they never secured, particularly in Windhoek.
The Ministry of Urban and Rural Development has launched an investigation into Omaruru Municipality over allegations of double plot allocations, governance failures, and irregular accommodation arrangements involving the chief executive, as well as failure to hold regular council meetings. Minister James Sankwasa said some allegations appear valid while others stem from misunderstandings, and an internal audit is pending to determine the scope of the issues.
Members of the |Khomanin Landless Association are preparing to push for the removal of Gaos Juliane Gawa-!Nas and her traditional council, citing allegations of unlawful land sales, lack of accountability, and financial mismanagement over the past 15 years. The |Khomanin Traditional Authority has rejected the planned change and threatened legal action, describing the allegations as a smear campaign.
Phil ya Nangoloh, founder of NamRights Incorporated, has called for an investigation into alleged administrative irregularities and governance failures at the Uukwambi Traditional Authority, arguing they undermine administrative justice and constitutional rights and may create conditions for corruption.
The City of Windhoek announced a reduction in debt from N$888 million to N$869 million, but residents criticized the municipality for spending heavily on salaries while service delivery remains poor, citing issues with waste collection and road repairs.
Community members in Vaalgras, ||Kharas region, express frustration over an eight-year delay in appointing a new Traditional Authority chief following Joel Stephanus's death. Community member Fritz Stephanus alleges that traditional authority councillors are deliberately causing delays and artificial disputes, potentially motivated by their own ambitions to become chief.
The government has committed N$137 million to building 3,106 low-income houses through the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development, implemented by the Shack Dwellers Federation of Namibia, to address the country's housing backlog. The project is part of broader efforts to formalise informal settlements and prioritise completing stalled units under the Mass Housing Development Programme, though the ministry's 2026/27 budget has been reduced from N$2.67 billion to N$1.95 billion.
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.