Also known as: former president Nangolo Mbumba · President Mbumba · President Nangolo Mbumba · former president Mbumba · then-president Nangolo Mbumba · Vice president Nangolo Mbumba · chief mourner president Nangolo Mbumba · His Excellency Dr. Nangolo Mbumba · Information Minister Nangolo Mbumba · state vice president Nangolo Mbumba
Former President who has paid tributes to late leaders including Dr. Mose Tjitendero and Kanana Hishoono.
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May 2026
Windhoek Observer
Unam chancellor Nangolo Mbumbathanked Japan fortimely support to improve safety and emergency preparedness
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“Receiving the donation, Mbumba thanked the government of Japan for what he described as timely support that will improve safety and emergency preparedness across UNAM campuses.”
Former President Nangolo Mbumbapaid tribute tothe late Dr. Mose Penaani Tjitendero, describing him as a visionary leader and intellectual whose legacy continues to shape Namibia
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“FORMER President Nangolo Mbumba has paid tribute to the late Dr. Mose Penaani Tjitendero, describing him as a visionary leader and intellectual whose legacy continues to shape Namibia's governance, education and national identity, 20 years after his passing.”
MbumbahonouredTjitendero as a hero of the Republic and committed patriot
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“Speaking at Heroes' Acre, Mbumba honoured Tjitendero as a hero of the Republic and a committed patriot who played a pivotal role in the country's liberation struggle and post-independence development.”
Nangolo Mbumbaserved aschief mourner during the two state funerals of Hage Geingob and Sam Nujoma
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“An example of a chief mourner was former president Nangolo Mbumba during the two state funerals of Namibia's third president, Hage Geingob, and founding president Sam Nujoma.”
Former President Nangolo Mbumbasentmessage of condolence during military memorial service
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“this fact did not go unnoticed by former President Nangolo Mbumba and SWAPO Party Secretary-General Sophia Shaningwa in their messages of condolence during the military memorial service of the late Erkki Nghimtina at Omahenge today.”
The government of Japan has donated two ambulances, a fire truck and emergency equipment valued at N$1.2 million to the University of Namibia to strengthen emergency response services across its campuses, with the donation also expected to improve access for students with disabilities.
Why it matters
Japan donates N$1.2 million in emergency equipment to UNAM, strengthening university response services and disability access.
The government of Japan has donated two ambulances, a fire truck and emergency equipment valued at N$1.2 million to the University of Namibia to strengthen emergency response services across its campuses, with the donation also expected to improve access for students with disabilities.
Education Minister Sanet Steenkamp called for the preservation and documentation of Namibia's liberation history during a handover of about 400 coffee table books on founding president Sam Nujoma's life to schools and public libraries. The books were donated by New Era Publication Corporation Board chairperson John Sifani and Chinese ambassador Zhao Weiping.
Former inspector general Sebastian Ndeitunga says the failure to detect a man who entered the presidential residence last week exposed weaknesses across the police chain of command. The breach has fuelled speculation about the status of police inspector general Joseph Shikongo and raised questions about the VIP Protection Unit's head Michael Abraham.
A series of accidents during the Workers' Day and Cassinga Day Commemoration long weekend resulted in over 20 deaths across Namibia, including 11 people killed on the B1 road when a Health Ministry patient bus collided with a truck. Former President Hifikepunye Pohamba called for urgent road safety interventions and stronger preventive measures.
A naked man allegedly breached State House security and reached the president's private floor on Thursday afternoon, with sources blaming police and presidential security for the failure. The incident has raised questions about police inspector general Joseph Shikongo's job security, though the Presidency denied dismissing him on Saturday.
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has called on government institutions and the private sector to convert existing training budgets into structured internship and apprenticeship opportunities for graduates, warning that Namibia's growing number of graduates must not end up without work experience. She made the remarks at Unam's graduation ceremony, where hundreds of students received certificates, diplomas and degrees.
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has directed all government offices, ministries and agencies to allocate funds for structured internship and apprenticeship programmes to address graduate unemployment, and called on the private sector to support the initiative.
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah honoured founding National Assembly Speaker Mose Tjitendero at his 20th death commemoration at Heroes Acre, calling on Namibians to defend and strengthen democracy by following Tjitendero's legacy of transparency, inclusivity, accountability and the rule of law in building Parliament after independence.
Swapo Party President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah urged members to uphold the party's founding values and principles during the party's 66th anniversary celebrations in Katutura on Sunday, which also saw the official inauguration of the new Swapo Party headquarters.
Former President Nangolo Mbumba has paid tribute to the late Dr. Mose Penaani Tjitendero, describing him as a visionary leader whose legacy continues to shape Namibia's governance, education and national identity 20 years after his passing. Mbumba honoured Tjitendero's role in the country's liberation struggle, post-independence development, and work through the United Nations Institute for Namibia.
The University of Namibia's Southern campus held its first graduation ceremony of the year in Keetmanshoop, where 178 graduates from four faculties completed their studies. Vice Chancellor Kenneth Matengu highlighted diversity and inclusivity, noting that the cohort included five international students and three graduates from marginalised communities, while female students comprised 70.3% of graduates.
Ongenga constituency councillor Josef Stalin Nenghwanya has said that Founding President Sam Nujoma and his generation laid a foundation for a peaceful, united and prosperous nation, with his legacy continuing through his presidential successors. Nenghwanya also thanked his own predecessors for establishing the foundation upon which he is now building.
At a national Independence Day commemoration at Sam Nujoma Stadium on 21 March 2026, Frans Kapofi addressed Namibians 36 years after the country's sovereignty in 1990, honouring those who fought colonial rule and calling on citizens to contribute to national prosperity through active participation rather than passive expectation.
Vice President Lucia Witbooi commemorated Namibia's 36th independence anniversary in Karasburg under the theme "Beyond 36: For a Prosperous Future," calling for unity and action to build on the country's foundations and accelerate socio-economic transformation. She highlighted government priorities including agriculture, youth empowerment, education, and green hydrogen initiatives, while acknowledging structural challenges in the IIKharas region and ongoing development projects aimed at inclusive growth.
Affirmative Repositioning leader Job Amupanda tabled a motion in the National Assembly opposing the use of chief mourners at state funerals, arguing the practice is a foreign concept that disregards indigenous burial customs and creates cultural confusion. Amupanda cited examples from various Namibian traditions, including orientation of graves and gender-specific burial practices, and contended that state funerals fail to observe rituals that hold spiritual significance.
President Nandi-Ndaitwah is reportedly pushing to end the practice of allocating state-funded mansions to former presidents, preferring instead to accept a portion of benefits for her own retirement home. The review of the Former Presidents' Pension and Other Benefits Act will also examine extending benefits to vice presidents, amid criticism that such perks are excessive given widespread hardship among ordinary Namibians.
The Namibian argues that Namibia's practice of awarding mansions worth millions to retiring presidents — including cases where former presidents received both cash payouts and homes — is indefensible when 36.9% of citizens are unemployed and thousands face hunger. The editorial calls on President Nandi-Ndaitwah to end the scheme, citing examples from Sri Lanka, Cyprus, and France where governments have moved to curtail such perks.
Former President Nangolo Mbumba and SWAPO Party Secretary-General Sophia Shaningwa paid tribute to late freedom fighter Erkki Nghimtina at his military memorial service in Omahenge, describing him as a hero who carried the burden of the struggle without wavering. Nghimtina died on 8 February, a month that has seen the deaths of several prominent Namibian figures including Founding President Sam Nujoma and President Hage Geingob in previous years.
Vice President Lucia Witbooi will represent President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah and deliver a tribute at the military memorial service of former minister Erkki Dineinge Nghidipohamba Nghimtina on Friday in Ohangwena Region, joined by former presidents Nangolo Mbumba and Hifikepunye Pohamba. Nghimtina, a liberation struggle veteran who served as parliamentarian and minister for close to three decades, died earlier this month aged 78, with his burial scheduled for Saturday at Eenhana Memorial Shrine.
Namibia, the world's third-largest uranium producer, is advancing nuclear power plans to reduce energy imports and meet growing demand. President Nandi-Ndaitwah has announced plans for the country's first nuclear power plant with support from Rosatom and China, though the project faces challenges including high capital costs and limited technical expertise.
As the world's third-largest uranium producer, Namibia is advancing plans for its first nuclear power plant to reduce reliance on imported electricity and support its Vision 2030 development goals, backed by international partnerships with Russia and China. The project faces significant capital costs and requires imported technical expertise, but recent cabinet approval of Namibia's Nuclear Industry Strategy signals sustained government commitment.
Former Botswana president Mokgweetsi Masisi delivered a public lecture at the University of Namibia, highlighting Botswana's role in supporting Namibia's liberation struggle and sheltering genocide victims, while also formally apologizing for killings of Namibian fishermen by the Botswana Defence Force during past border disputes. He emphasized that the two countries have since strengthened bilateral relations through higher-level cooperation platforms and a formalised bi-national commission covering politics, trade, and defence.
Executive director of justice and labour relations Audrin Mathe launched a book titled 'The Art of Persuasion; The Making of Namibia's Constitution' in Windhoek on Monday, describing the Constitution as a covenant and promise to build prosperity together. Botswana's President Mokgweetsi Masisi emphasised the importance of respecting the Constitution and its role in sustaining stability and freedom in the region.
Namibia's new Dissolution of Marriages Act, assented in October 2024, simplifies divorce procedures by replacing fault-based grounds with a single irretrievable-breakdown standard, while placing strong emphasis on children's rights and fair property division. The law requires courts to ensure proper custody, guardianship, and maintenance arrangements for children before granting divorce, and removes outdated mechanisms like restitution of conjugal rights.
A small, intimate ceremony was held at Heroes' Acre to remember the late Dr Hage Geingob, Namibia's first prime minister and third president, alongside his widow Monica Geingos and other family members, former leaders, and dignitaries.
China's ambassador to Namibia held roundtable talks with local representatives to advance the 2026 China–Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges, with discussions focusing on strengthening bilateral cooperation in areas such as development, entrepreneurship, and media exchanges. Namibian visitors to China shared insights on modernisation initiatives and the tangible outcomes of Namibia–China partnership, including housing projects for police officers.
Mathias Kanana Hishoono, one of the last surviving founders of Swapo and a key organiser in Namibia's liberation struggle, was buried on Saturday following his death on 14 January at age 89. His passing marks the closing of a formative chapter in Namibian political history, as a generation whose authority was rooted in lived experience of colonial repression and resistance fades away.
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has asked the attorney general to review the circumstances surrounding Paragon Oil & Gas' petroleum exploration licence (PEL 37) renewal, which was granted for four years despite regulations limiting third renewals to two years. The licence resurfaced as a controversy when former mines minister Natangwe Ithete was fired last year, allegedly for approving the renewal against the president's wishes.
Former presidents Hifikepunye Pohamba and Nangolo Mbumba paid tributes to Swapo founding member Kanana Hishoono at his memorial service, describing him as a unifier and principled servant who played a critical role in Namibia's liberation struggle and later served as political adviser to founding president Sam Nujoma. Hishoono, who died on 14 January at age 89, was one of the few remaining original torchbearers of Namibia's independence movement.