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Thursday, 22 October 2026
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Thursday, 22 October 2026
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Namibian press · Person

Nangolo Mbumba

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 · Comrade President Nangolo Mbumba

Former president who served in an acting capacity and handled the presidential transition following Hage Geingob's death in February 2024.

2018-09-072026-10-22
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News reports

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What’s been said

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

  1. January 2025

  2. The Namibian

    President Nangolo Mbumba expressed solidarity to United States president Joe Biden over California wildfires

    Source

    “President Nangolo Mbumba has expressed solidarity to United States president Joe Biden over the ongoing veld fires in California.”

    Mbumba expresses solidarity with US over California wildfires

  3. The Namibian

    the president may remove a member of the commission with National Assembly approval for neglect or misconduct

    Source

    “The act states that the president may remove a member of the commission with the approval of the National Assembly on the grounds that the member is guilty of neglect of duty or misconduct.”

    NEFF wants Mbumba to remove ECN commissioners

  4. The Namibian

    President Nangolo Mbumba called for closer collaboration with Ghana on oil and gas expertise

    Source

    “President Nangolo Mbumba has called for closer collaboration with Ghana to leverage its expertise in the oil and gas sector, following Namibia's recent resource discoveries.”

    Namibia seeks Ghana's expertise on oil, gas, and agriculture to strengthen bilateral ties

  5. The Namibian

    Nangolo Mbumba attended Mahama's inauguration as president and held talks with the Ghanaian president

    Source

    “Mbumba attended Mahama's inauguration as president and held talks with the Ghanaian president.”

    Ghana and Namibia discuss better agricultural collaboration and resource ownership
  6. September 2024

  7. The Namibian

    President Nangolo Mbumba told Swapo supporters to avoid humiliating themselves by voting for untested and untried candidates

    Source

    “President Nangolo Mbumba has told Swapo supporters to avoid "humiliating themselves by voting for untested and untried" candidates.”

    Mbumba says voters should not humiliate ‘themselves by voting for untested and untried’ candidates

  8. The Namibian

    Mbumba warned that if voters reject Swapo, the African Union and Southern African Development Community will cry

    Source

    “Mbumba warned that if voters reject Swapo in favour of opposition parties, the African Union (AU) and Southern African Development Community (Sadc) will "cry."”

    Mbumba says voters should not humiliate ‘themselves by voting for untested and untried’ candidates

  9. The Namibian

    President Nangolo Mbumba conferred national honours at State House upon notable Namibians

    Source

    “I would like to take a moment to congratulate all notable Namibians who were recently conferred with national honours at State House by president Nangolo Mbumba.”

    Kudos to John Mutorwa

  10. The Namibian

    The president appointed John Mutorwa as deputy prime minister

    Source

    “The president has seen your work too, that's why he appointed you as the deputy prime minister and honoured you with the Most Brilliant Order of the Sun, first class.”

    Kudos to John Mutorwa

  11. The Namibian

    President Nangolo Mbumba was not elected and is an acting president

    Source

    “As president Mbumba was not elected, he is an acting president.”

    The Dubious Foundations of the ‘Substantive’ President Argument
  12. August 2024

  13. The Namibian

    President Nangolo Mbumba launched the African Peer Review Mechanism Programme of Action in March

    Source

    “This step would complete a significant governance milestone in the Harambee Prosperity Plan II and align with the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) Programme of Action for Namibia, which president Nangolo Mbumba launched in March this year.”

    The Time for Transparency in Oil and Gas is NOW
Politics

Mbumba office construction contradicts earlier government position

The News

Former president Nangolo Mbumba claims he is unaware of reported construction of a new office for him in Windhoek, contradicting an earlier government statement that it had no plans to build one. An Independent Patriots for Change lawmaker questions whether Mbumba, who served in an acting capacity and was not directly elected, should receive the same post-presidential benefits as elected former presidents.

13 October 2026 · The Namibian →

Tuesday 13 October

  1. Mbumba office construction contradicts earlier government position

    Former president Nangolo Mbumba claims he is unaware of reported construction of a new office for him in Windhoek, contradicting an earlier government statement that it had no plans to build one. An Independent Patriots for Change lawmaker questions whether Mbumba, who served in an acting capacity and was not directly elected, should receive the same post-presidential benefits as elected former presidents.

    13 October 2026 · The Namibian →

Friday 25 September

  1. Police housing project stalled more than decade after land reserved

    More than a decade after the City of Windhoek reserved land at 8ste Laan for police housing, construction has yet to begin and several municipal requirements remain outstanding. City officials now discuss revoking the allocation, citing the police and safety ministry as not taking the officers' housing needs seriously, and the land could be returned to address Windhoek's growing housing waiting list.

    25 September 2026 · New Era →

Thursday 17 September

  1. China and Namibia elevate ties to community with shared future

    China and Namibia have agreed to deepen economic, diplomatic and people-to-people cooperation following the elevation of bilateral relations to a China-Namibia community with a shared future for the new era, an agreement reached during President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah's state visit to China in July.

    17 September 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Thursday 10 September

  1. National Assembly approves Sindano as Electoral Commission chairperson

    Parliament has approved the appointment of Gerson Sindano as chairperson of the Electoral Commission of Namibia after opposition MPs walked out. Swapo's 48 members and one vote from UDF deputy president Nico Somaeb secured the appointment despite walkouts by opposition parties including the IPC, LPM, AR, NEFF, Nudo, NDP, and PDM.

    10 September 2026 · New Era →

Wednesday 9 September

  1. Omusati governor calls for critical assessment of governance reforms

    Omusati governor Immanuel Shikongo has urged stakeholders to critically assess Namibia's progress in implementing governance recommendations under the African Peer Review Mechanism, rather than simply celebrating achievements. The assessment focuses on recommendations addressing youth unemployment, housing, land delivery, rural electrification and decentralisation from a Country Review Report launched in March 2024.

    9 September 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Monday 24 August

  1. President Nandi-Ndaitwah applies to buy Windhoek land

    President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah applied to purchase municipal land in Windhoek's Auasblick area covering six plots of about 1.8 hectares, three weeks after a security breach at State House. Council documents indicate the president cited the intrusion as a threat to her safety and has since relocated to her private house.

    24 August 2026 · The Namibian →

Sunday 23 August

  1. Security Commission recommends on suspended police chief Shikongo

    The Security Commission has made a recommendation to President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah on the future of former inspector general Joseph Shikongo, who was suspended in May following a security breach at State House. The details of the recommendation remain unclear, with the commission declining to comment pending the president's decision.

    23 August 2026 · The Namibian →

Wednesday 19 August

  1. Chief Hosea Kutako Memorial Museum opens as heritage shrine

    The Chief Hosea Kutako Memorial Museum and Shrine at Toasis village, officially inaugurated on 10 December 2024, honours the Ovaherero leader who resisted colonial rule and petitioned the United Nations against Namibia's illegal occupation. The shrine has become a tourist attraction and commemorates the legendary national hero.

    19 August 2026 · The Namibian →

Saturday 15 August

  1. President hails former leader Mbumba on 85th birthday

    President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah released a message extending congratulations to former President Nangolo Mbumba on his 85th birthday, honouring his decades of service in the liberation struggle and post-independence government.

    15 August 2026 · Informanté →

  2. Former president Mbumba turns 85, hailed for lifetime service

    Former president Nangolo Mbumba is celebrating his 85th birthday. President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah praised him as a liberation struggle veteran and devoted servant who contributed to Namibia's independence and democratic institutions, and handled the presidential transition following Hage Geingob's death in February 2024 with dignity and constitutional responsibility.

    15 August 2026 · The Namibian →

Wednesday 5 August

  1. Geingob legacy must be preserved through documentation and institutions

    At an inaugural town hall event at the University of Namibia, former Speaker Peter Katjavivi urged that the late President Hage Geingob's legacy be preserved through research, documentation, and stronger institutions rather than commemorative events alone, warning that important governance lessons risk being lost if not recorded.

    5 August 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Monday 3 August

  1. Former president calls for continuation of Geingob's governance vision

    Former President Nangolo Mbumba has urged African leaders to follow the late President Hage Geingob's example by building democratic, developmental, and ethical governance systems. Mbumba made the remarks during an inaugural town hall conversation honouring Geingob's legacy and what would have been his 85th birthday.

    3 August 2026 · Informanté →

  2. Hage Geingob Town Hall launches to strengthen democratic dialogue

    The inaugural Hage Geingob Town Hall Conversation aims to preserve the late president's commitment to consultation and participatory governance. The Windhoek Observer argues that a successful town hall's value lies in whether participants feel heard, not in attendance figures or polished presentations.

    3 August 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

  3. Hage Geingob Centre launches annual town hall dialogue

    The Hage Geingob Presidential Centre will hold an inaugural town hall conversation on Monday, intended to become an annual platform for dialogue between leaders, young people, academics and citizens on issues shaping Namibia's future. The event coincides with what would have been Geingob's 85th birthday and aims to preserve his legacy of consultation, inclusive governance and citizen participation.

    3 August 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Wednesday 15 July

  1. Opposition challenges ECN nominee over Swapo membership ties

    Opposition parties oppose Gerson Sindano's nomination to chair the Electoral Commission of Namibia, citing his past role as personal assistant to a Swapo official and his current Swapo membership as undermining the commission's independence ahead of the 2030 elections. The National Democratic Party president says he would only support Sindano if he publicly renounced his Swapo membership.

    15 July 2026 · The Namibian →

Wednesday 8 July

  1. Former Namibian honorary consul to Serbia Boskovic dies

    Vasilije Boskovic, who served as Namibia's honorary consul to Serbia from 2002 to 2024, has died aged 85. The Ministry of International Relations and Trade credited him with strengthening diplomatic ties between the two countries and helping establish the Engineering Council of Namibia, with a relationship spanning over 60 years.

    8 July 2026 · The Namibian →

Sunday 21 June

  1. Mineworkers' union investment empire faces transparency and benefit questions

    Namibia's Mineworkers' Union of Namibia channels members' dues through Namibia Miners Investment Trust (Namit) and Nam-Mic Holdings, which have grown into a N$900-million portfolio with stakes in banks, mines, hotels and other sectors. Members and their representatives say they have seen little benefit from their decades of contributions and allege lack of transparency and financial irregularities.

    21 June 2026 · The Namibian →

Friday 12 June

  1. Government says delimitation report will be released publicly soon

    The government says a long-awaited delimitation and demarcation report on proposed constituency boundary adjustments will be made public at an appropriate time, denying claims it is being withheld. The Delimitation and Demarcation Commission, chaired by judge Petrus Unengu, submitted its final report to former president Nangolo Mbumba in 2025 following consultations in 2024 ahead of the presidential, National Assembly, regional council, and local authority elections.

    12 June 2026 · The Namibian →

Friday 15 May

  1. Japan donates ambulances and fire truck to strengthen UNAM emergency response

    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.

    15 May 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Wednesday 13 May

  1. Namibia preserves liberation history through book donation

    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.

    13 May 2026 · The Namibian →

Thursday 7 May

  1. 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 →

Tuesday 5 May

  1. Former police chief slams security breach at State House

    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.

    5 May 2026 · The Namibian →

  2. Road accidents kill over 20 during long weekend

    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.

    5 May 2026 · New Era →

Sunday 3 May

  1. Naked intruder breaches State House, threatens Shikongo's position

    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.

    3 May 2026 · The Namibian →

Thursday 30 April

  1. President calls for internship reform as graduates lack work experience

    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.

    30 April 2026 · New Era →

  2. Namibia directs ministries to fund graduate internships

    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.

    30 April 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Tuesday 28 April

  1. President calls on Namibians to defend democracy at Tjitendero commemoration

    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.

    28 April 2026 · New Era →

  2. Swapo party marks 66th anniversary, inaugurates new headquarters

    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.

    28 April 2026 · New Era →

Sunday 26 April

  1. Former President Mbumba honours late Dr Tjitendero's lasting legacy

    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.

    26 April 2026 · Informanté →

Monday 13 April

  1. Unam Southern campus celebrates 178 graduates, emphasizes diversity

    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.

    13 April 2026 · New Era →

Nangolo Mbumba — Namibian press coverage · Namibia Minute