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Sunday, 6 September 2026
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Sunday, 6 September 2026
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Namibian press · Person

Peter Shivute

Also known as: chief justice Peter Shivute · Judge President Peter Shivute

Chief Justice of Namibia who has advocated for judicial officer well-being and security amid heavy workloads and violence against court personnel.

2023-10-252026-09-06
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What’s been said

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

  1. February 2026

  2. New Era

    Chief Justice Peter Shivute said plea bargaining has received acceptance from all sectors and is set to gain momentum in 2026

    Source

    “Alternative dispute resolution in criminal matters through plea bargaining has received acceptance from all sectors of the criminal justice sector and is set to gain momentum in 2026, Chief Justice Peter Shivute said on Thursday.”

    Plea bargaining gains momentum

  3. The Namibian

    Chief Justice Peter Shivute said shortage of judicial officers has reached critical point

    Source

    “Speaking at the same event, chief justice Peter Shivute said a shortage of judicial officers in Namibia "has reached a critical point".”

    Nandi-Ndaitwah warns unresolved corruption cases undermine public trust in Namibia’s judiciary

  4. The Namibian

    Chief Justice Peter Shivute said combined backlog in magistrate courts increased from 57,090 to 63,679 cases

    Source

    “He recounted that the combined backlog in Namibia's magistrate courts increased from 57 090 cases at the end of 2024 to 63 679 cases at the end of 2025.”

    Nandi-Ndaitwah warns unresolved corruption cases undermine public trust in Namibia’s judiciary

  5. Informanté

    Chief Justice Peter Shivute stated at the opening of the 2026 Legal Year judicial officer numbers have reached a critical point

    Source

    “He added that, in addition to this, judicial officer numbers have reached a critical point.”

    Namibian judges buckling under the caseload
  6. January 2026

  7. The Namibian

    Chief justice Peter Shivute heard the appeal

    Source

    “The appeal on which the judgement was delivered yesterday was heard by chief justice Peter Shivute, deputy chief justice Petrus Damaseb and acting judge of appeal Theo Frank.”

    Supreme Court slams NaCC for unlawful delegation in PSN pharmacy price‑fixing saga
  8. October 2023

  9. The Namibian

    High Court Judge President Peter Shivute says the case was not heard in secret as The Namibian reported

    Source

    “HIGH Court Judge President Peter Shivute says the case in which a Supreme Court justice is accused of using his 16-year-old daughter to conceal his part-ownership of a company was not heard in secret as The Namibian reported on Friday.”

    Judge President defends conduct of Teek hearing
Politics

Supreme Court upholds High Court's cancellation of school food tender

The News

The Supreme Court upheld a High Court judgment canceling a multimillion-dollar school hostel food supply tender for government schools across Namibia's 14 regions after the Central Procurement Board and Ministry of Education appealed the decision. The tender was found to have irregularities, including the exclusion of a bidder for failing to provide an English translation of an Afrikaans-language supporting document.

4 September 2026 · Informanté →

Friday 4 September

  1. Supreme Court upholds High Court's cancellation of school food tender

    The Supreme Court upheld a High Court judgment canceling a multimillion-dollar school hostel food supply tender for government schools across Namibia's 14 regions after the Central Procurement Board and Ministry of Education appealed the decision. The tender was found to have irregularities, including the exclusion of a bidder for failing to provide an English translation of an Afrikaans-language supporting document.

    4 September 2026 · Informanté →

Tuesday 25 August

  1. Chief justice prioritizes judicial officer health amid professional demands

    Chief Justice Peter Shivute said professional demands on judicial officers must not come at the cost of their health, and emphasized a close relationship between judicial well-being and proper administration of justice. His remarks came at an event marking the UN-proclaimed International Day for Judicial Well-being on 25 July.

    25 August 2026 · The Namibian →

Monday 24 August

  1. Chief Justice calls for institutional support for judicial well-being

    Chief Justice Peter Shivute has called for greater institutional responsibility for the well-being of judicial officers and support staff, warning that individual resilience cannot indefinitely compensate for heavy workloads, inadequate support and demanding working conditions. He stressed that judicial stress should not be stigmatised and that the well-being of judicial officers is closely linked to the proper administration of justice.

    24 August 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Monday 17 August

  1. Justice system advances security plan for magistrates, prosecutors

    Namibia's Chief Justice has convened stakeholders to consider security assessment findings covering more than 400 judicial officers and prosecutors, with the assessment to be submitted to Cabinet and the Office of the Prime Minister. The move addresses risks of intimidation and violence faced by those administering and prosecuting the law, prompted partly by the death of regional control prosecutor Justine Shiweda in October 2025.

    17 August 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

  2. Security plan for 400 magistrates and prosecutors reaches Cabinet

    Chief Justice Peter Shivute convened a meeting to review a security assessment for over 400 prosecutors and judicial officers, following concerns heightened by the death of regional prosecutor Justine Shiweda. The report is expected to be submitted to Cabinet and the Office of the Prime Minister in the coming weeks for consideration and possible implementation.

    17 August 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Saturday 8 August

  1. Political parties oppose Damaseb's nomination to Tanzania inquiry

    Political parties have called on deputy chief justice and judge president Petrus Damaseb to reject his nomination to serve on Tanzania's post-election violence commission of inquiry. Job Amupanda and the Independent Patriots for Change cite concerns over the process, Namibia's silence on alleged human rights abuses, and international criticism of previous Tanzanian inquiries, arguing that Damaseb's participation could lend credibility to a commission of uncertain independence.

    8 August 2026 · The Namibian →

Thursday 6 August

  1. Opposition parties criticize deputy chief justice's Tanzania inquiry role

    Opposition parties AR and IPC have accused the Namibian government of compromising judicial independence by nominating deputy chief justice Petrus Damaseb to serve on a Tanzanian Presidential Commission of Inquiry investigating post-election violence. AR contends the nomination was a political act facilitated through government channels rather than proper judicial cooperation.

    6 August 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Wednesday 5 August

  1. Deputy Chief Justice Damaseb joins Tanzania election violence inquiry

    Namibia's Deputy Chief Justice Petrus Damaseb has been nominated to serve on a Tanzanian presidential commission of inquiry investigating violence that followed Tanzania's October 2025 general elections, following a request from Tanzanian authorities for a Namibian High Court judge to join the commission.

    5 August 2026 · The Namibian →

  2. Namibia's deputy chief justice investigates Tanzania election violence

    Petrus Damaseb, Namibia's deputy chief justice, has been nominated to serve on a Tanzanian presidential commission of inquiry investigating post-election violence following Tanzania's 2025 general elections. The Judicial Service Commission said Damaseb's judicial and administrative experience made him suitable for the sensitive role, and arrangements will be made to ensure his Namibian judicial duties continue without disruption.

    5 August 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Thursday 25 June

  1. AR MP questions US ambassador's judicial interference remarks

    Affirmative Repositioning MP Tuhafeni Kalola is questioning remarks made by US ambassador John Giordano to chief justice Peter Shivute, in which Giordano allegedly told judges they could call him to contact people he knows to help with their cases. Kalola argues the remarks appear to breach Article 78(3) of the Namibian Constitution, which safeguards judicial independence, and has asked the justice minister whether the government has assessed the ambassador's statements and whether they constitute an attempt to interfere with the Judiciary.

    25 June 2026 · The Namibian →

Friday 5 June

  1. Omuthiya Periodical Court opens Monday to serve Oshikoto Region

    The Office of the Judiciary announced that the Omuthiya Periodical Court will commence operations on Monday, 8 June 2026, providing essential judicial services including criminal proceedings, marriage solemnization, maintenance disputes, and bail payments to residents of Oshikoto Region who previously had to travel to Ondangwa Magistrate's Court.

    5 June 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Wednesday 29 April

  1. Supreme Court upholds ex-PM's block of ACC investigator

    The Supreme Court found that former prime minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila acted lawfully under the Public Service Act when she blocked the appointment of Phelem Masule as the Anti-Corruption Commission's chief of investigations and prosecutions in July 2020. Although the court found the High Court erred in setting aside her decision, it dismissed the government's appeal after determining the appellants failed to rely on the correct section of the Act in their appeal.

    29 April 2026 · The Namibian →

Wednesday 4 March

  1. Three foreign judges appointed to Namibia's High Court

    The Office of the Judiciary appointed judges from Zimbabwe and Botswana to Namibia's High Court, effective March 2025, as part of efforts to address critical shortages in the judiciary. Esi Schimming-Chase was sworn in as Namibia's first permanent female Supreme Court judge, and Chief Justice Peter Shivute noted that women now constitute the majority of the High Court bench.

    4 March 2026 · The Namibian →

Tuesday 3 March

  1. First woman permanently appointed to Namibia Supreme Court

    Justice Esi Malaika Schimming-Chase has become the first woman to be permanently appointed as a judge to Namibia's Supreme Court, taking her oath of office at a ceremony administered by Chief Justice Peter Shivute. She assumes duties effective 1 March 2026, following a distinguished legal career spanning more than two decades.

    3 March 2026 · New Era →

Monday 23 February

  1. Justice Minister urges urgent security protection for magistrates and prosecutors

    Namibia's Justice Minister Filemon Wise Immanuel has urgently requested residential security protection for all magistrates and prosecutors following the death of Magistrate Justine Shiweda and rising threats against judicial officers in Grootfontein and Ondangwa. Immanuel warned that attacks on judges threaten the independence of the justice system and emphasised that financial constraints cannot delay protecting those who administer justice.

    23 February 2026 · New Era →

Friday 20 February

  1. Judiciary budgets depleted; legal aid travel suspended

    Memos from the Office of the Judiciary and Ministry of Justice confirm severe budget shortages: the legal aid travel budget is depleted and legal aid counsel must seek to postpone out-of-station hearings; magistrates are barred from travelling outside duty stations for cases between 15 March and 15 April. Chief Justice Peter Shivute warned that underfunding and staff shortages threaten judicial capacity, with civil judges' workload rising 60% despite fewer cases being filed.

    20 February 2026 · New Era →

Monday 16 February

  1. Slain prosecutor Justine Shiweda laid to rest with state honours

    Thousands gathered to pay respects to late Ondangwa regional control prosecutor Justine Ndapandula Shiweda, who died on 7 February 2026 from injuries sustained in a violent attack in October 2025. President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah and other state officials condemned the attack and pledged that violence against law enforcement will be met with the full force of the law, while a trust fund has been established to support Shiweda's two young children.

    16 February 2026 · New Era →

  2. Prosecutor shot and acid-attacked last year laid to rest

    Ondangwa regional control prosecutor Justine Shiweda, who was shot and doused with corrosive acid on 17 October 2025 and died on 7 February, was buried at her family cemetery in Oshana region on Saturday. Chief Justice Peter Shivute warned at her funeral that violence against court officers threatens Namibia's justice system and called for prosecutors and judges to remain committed to administering justice without fear or intimidation.

    16 February 2026 · The Namibian →

Sunday 15 February

  1. High Court workload surge leaves judges overwhelmed, system fragile

    The High Court's civil bench saw case load surge from an average of 384 cases per judge in 2024 to 614 in 2025, prompting judge Beatrix de Jager to declare publicly that she would not sacrifice her health for an impossible workload. The Namibian editorial argues that government prioritizes resource allocation to natural resource distribution and military recruitment over supporting the judiciary, risking constitutional democracy.

    15 February 2026 · The Namibian →

  2. Judicial delays harm economic confidence and investment, says Schlettwein

    Former finance minister Calle Schlettwein and Chief Justice Peter Shivute have warned that delays in Namibia's under-staffed judiciary damage economic confidence and deter investment, with the civil division of the High Court handling an average of 614 cases per judge last year. However, some analysts dispute this, arguing that Namibia's rule of law remains strong and that executive and legislative delays have a larger impact on investment than judicial delays.

    15 February 2026 · The Namibian →

Thursday 12 February

  1. Namibia pitches mining, energy and logistics growth strategy

    Namibian officials showcased the country's development strategy at the Mining Indaba in Cape Town, emphasizing mining as a foundation for economic growth and positioning Namibia as a regional logistics hub with potential for energy development and mineral value-addition.

    12 February 2026 · The Namibian →

  2. High Court judge warns of crisis in Namibian judicial system

    Judge Beatrix de Jager postponed delivering a judgement to protect her health, citing an unsustainable workload and workforce shortage that she described as "inhuman." Chief Justice Peter Shivute confirmed that judges are under immense pressure, with civil judges managing an average of 614 cases each in 2025, and called for urgent judicial appointments and support.

    12 February 2026 · The Namibian →

Wednesday 11 February

  1. State covers medical bills of slain prosecutor Justine Shiweda

    The Ministry of Justice has confirmed it will cover all medical expenses for prosecutor Justine Shiweda, who died in December 2025 following a brutal October attack in which she was shot five times and had acid thrown on her body. The Ondangwa regional control prosecutor spent four months in hospital before succumbing to complications from her injuries; one suspect, a medical doctor, has been charged with murder and conspiracy.

    11 February 2026 · The Namibian →

  2. President addresses judiciary at opening of 2026 legal year

    President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah addressed the Supreme Court on the opening of the 2026 legal year, emphasising the constitutional independence of the judiciary, its role in democratic governance, and the need to address challenges including case backlogs, judicial security concerns, and rising crime affecting the tourism sector.

    11 February 2026 · The Namibian →

Tuesday 10 February

  1. Plea bargaining gains acceptance as Namibia reforms criminal justice

    Namibia's criminal justice sector is embracing plea bargaining as an alternative dispute resolution mechanism to speed up case disposal, Chief Justice Peter Shivute announced at the 2026 Legal Year opening. Justice Minister Fillemon Immanuel said the system would help manage courts' heavy workload and conclude criminal trials within reasonable time limits.

    10 February 2026 · New Era →

Saturday 7 February

  1. Unresolved corruption cases undermine public trust in judiciary

    President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah warned that prolonged backlog of cases, particularly those involving abuse of public resources, weakens public confidence in Namibia's state institutions. Chief Justice Peter Shivute cited a critical shortage of judicial officers and rising caseloads, with magistrate court backlogs growing from 57,090 cases at end of 2024 to 63,679 at end of 2025.

    7 February 2026 · The Namibian →

Friday 6 February

  1. Judiciary faces crisis as caseload per judge rises 60%

    Chief Justice Peter Shivute warned that Namibia's judiciary faces a critical shortage of judicial officers, with judges handling an average of 614 cases each in 2025—a sharp increase from 384 in 2024—while magistrates' courts contend with a growing backlog of over 63,000 cases. He cited retirements and inadequate staffing as primary challenges, though noted that mitigation measures including a judges' training programme have been launched.

    6 February 2026 · New Era →

  2. Namibian judges face surging caseloads amid staff shortages

    Chief Justice Peter Shivute reported that average caseloads per civil judge jumped nearly 60% between 2024 and 2025 as judicial vacancies mounted, while Magistrates' Courts backlogs grew 11.5% to over 63,000 cases. The judiciary is exploring recruitment from SADC countries to address critical staffing gaps.

    6 February 2026 · Informanté →

Thursday 5 February

  1. Namibian legal year opens with focus on reform and safety

    President Nandi-Ndaitwah opened Namibia's legal year at the Supreme Court today, marking the start of a year the justice ministry hopes will bring meaningful reform, improved efficiency, and strengthened public confidence. The judiciary has established a Safety and Security Task Force to address concerns following recent attacks on prosecutors, while legal professionals advocate for plea bargaining reforms and amendments to obsolete laws.

    5 February 2026 · New Era →

Friday 23 January

  1. Supreme Court rules NaCC unlawfully delegated pharmacy investigation

    The Supreme Court has found that the Namibian Competition Commission acted unlawfully by delegating its authority to investigate alleged price-fixing in the pharmaceutical sector to its secretary rather than exercising that power itself. The court has referred the matter back to the commission to determine whether to continue the investigation against the Pharmaceutical Society of Namibia and pharmacies accused of imposing a uniform 50% mark-up on prescription medicines.

    23 January 2026 · The Namibian →

Peter Shivute — Namibian press coverage · Namibia Minute