Ondangwa Town Council — local authority managing urban development, infrastructure, and investment attraction in Ondangwa, hosting the annual Trade and Industrial Exhibition.
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April 2026
The Namibian
Ondangwa Town Councilrefuted claims, citingartist's steep price tag exhausted performance budget without detailed fee list
Source
“However, the town council has refuted the claims, citing the fact that the artist was among several bidders whose offer entailed a steep price tag, which nearly exhausted the performance budget without giving any detailed list of fees.”
Ondangwa Town Councilsupported and allocatedsites for Ministry of Health and Social Services
Source
“This plan began in 2014/2015, with Ondangwa Town Council supporting it and allocating sites for the Ministry of Health and Social Services to select land.”
Ondangwa Town Councilis rolling outambitious multi-pronged strategy to transform the town into a competitive investment hub
Source
“The Ondangwa Town Council is rolling out an ambitious, multi-pronged strategy to transform the northern town into a competitive investment hub, leveraging infrastructure expansion, streamlined bureaucracy and targeted support for local enterprises to stimulate economic growth.”
Ondangwa Town Councilsuccessfully raisedN$885 070 in cash and pledges during 2026 gala dinner
Source
“The Ondangwa Town Council set the bar high when it successfully raised a remarkable N$885 070 in cash and pledges during the 2026 Ondangwa Trade Fair gala dinner on Saturday.”
The Minister of International Relations and Trade opened the Ondangwa Trade and Industrial Exhibition, committing to strengthen economic diplomacy and market access for Namibian producers and service providers on the continental and global stages.
Why it matters
Trade Minister commits to strengthening market access and economic diplomacy for Namibian producers—directly supports job creation and export-led growth.
The Minister of International Relations and Trade opened the Ondangwa Trade and Industrial Exhibition, committing to strengthen economic diplomacy and market access for Namibian producers and service providers on the continental and global stages.
The upcoming Ondangwa Trade and Industrial Exhibition (24 April–2 May 2026) has sparked social media debate after some local artists were denied performance opportunities. The town council says it rotates fairly among artists and rejected one artist's bid citing steep fees that would exhaust the performance budget, while defending other selections on grounds of regional representation and prior participation.
Ondangwa Town Council CEO Isamel Namugongo told New Era that the long-delayed Ondangwa State Hospital is back on track with central government support and environmental studies underway, while the council has doubled residential areas, upgraded roads to tar in several extensions, and is preparing to modernise the town's struggling sewerage infrastructure. Key challenges include high unemployment affecting residents' ability to pay municipal bills and ageing infrastructure designed for a much smaller population.
The Ondangwa Town Council is implementing a strategy to attract investors through competitive land pricing (55% reduction on industrial land), streamlined administration (4-day business registrations, 7-day building approvals), and infrastructure expansion including a sports stadium and district hospital. The council is also supporting local small enterprises and using public procurement to circulate spending within the local economy.
The Ondangwa Town Council raised N$885,070 in cash and pledges at a gala dinner to fund the 13th edition of the Ondangwa Trade and Industrial Exhibition, scheduled for April–May 2026. Vice President Lucia Witbooi officiated the event, highlighting the exhibition's role in promoting entrepreneurship and economic development, while business leaders called for greater priority to be given to local contractors over foreign firms in government tender awards.
Auditor General Junias Kandjeke says the council cannot account for N$4.7 million in salary payments because there are no updated staff record cards or salary advice, leading to an adverse audit opinion on the council's financial statements for the year ended 30 June 2021. The audit also flagged multiple other discrepancies including unreconciled cash balances, unconfirmed investments, and insufficient assets backing the Build Together Housing Fund.
Jacob Ipinge, who ranked eighth nationally in Namibia's advanced secondary exams, received N$10,000 from the Ondangwa Town Council for university accommodation after approaching the mayor. The council and its officials also contributed N$1,770 from personal funds to help him with other expenses as he studies medicine at the University of Namibia.
Namibia's elite-driven urban expansion prioritises Western-style development over rural communities, resulting in land seizure, inadequate compensation, and the pauperisation of rural people who lose agricultural livelihoods and cultural heritage. The authors argue that development must be context-specific and that rural investment is needed to address unsustainable rural-urban migration.
The Ondangwa Town Council has expressed concern over increasing vandalism of street and road regulatory signs, warning that the acts pose safety risks to road users and create unnecessary financial burden on the local authority. The council stressed that road signs are critical traffic control instruments, and their destruction violates the law.