Governor Vipuakuje Muharukuapaid a courtesy call onthe Acting Governor of Angola's Cunene Province
Source
“On Monday, Governors Kadiva Hamutumwa, Imms Shikongo, Hophni Iipinge and Vipuakuje Muharukua paid a courtesy call on the Acting Governor of Angola's Cunene Province, Apolo Ndinoulenga, in Ondjiva.”
Kunene governor Vipuakuje Muharukua has accused the Kunene Regional Council of using employees as a "human shield" over a dispute involving George Kamseb's position as chief regional officer, after staff members reportedly did not receive their June salaries. Muharukua said Kamseb and those protecting him are responsible for the salary delays, not minister James Sankwasa, and has invited Sankwasa to a meeting on 1 July to find a solution.
Why it matters
Unpaid salaries for Kunene public servants—teachers, nurses, police—expose a governance breakdown at regional level with direct impact on essential services.
Kunene governor Vipuakuje Muharukua has accused the Kunene Regional Council of using employees as a "human shield" over a dispute involving George Kamseb's position as chief regional officer, after staff members reportedly did not receive their June salaries. Muharukua said Kamseb and those protecting him are responsible for the salary delays, not minister James Sankwasa, and has invited Sankwasa to a meeting on 1 July to find a solution.
Governors of Ohangwena and Kunene regions have raised alarm about ongoing medicine shortages at public health facilities, with hospitals in Opuwo, Khorixas and elsewhere running low on medication for about three months. The shortages particularly affect chronic illness treatments including diabetes, hypertension, ARVs and tuberculosis medication, forcing patients to queue for long periods only to find prescribed drugs unavailable.
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah said at the opening of the Omaludi Agricultural Festival in Ohangwena that development must not come at the expense of cultural identity. She noted the festival boosts the local economy through accommodation, transport, and informal trade, and announced the government will focus on improving existing agricultural schemes rather than establishing new ones.
The Khorixas town council will provide free graves to support bereaved families of three victims from a May 1 bus-truck crash that killed 11 people near Otjiwarongo. The graves are for the hospital patient bus driver and two brothers who will be buried together.
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has urged Namibian workers to take initiative in improving their skills through available learning opportunities, including online courses, and stressed that capacity building has no age limit. She said the 2026 International Workers' Day theme on continuous in-service training highlights the need for a skill-driven workforce to ensure productivity and economic growth, and called for cooperation between workers and employers.
Kunene governor Vipuakuje Muharukua says competing claims for chieftaincy positions are hampering governance, delaying recognition of chiefs, and slowing development in the region. He is leading consultative meetings to resolve disputes within traditional authorities through dialogue and inclusivity.
The Kunene Governor's office, working with Agra ProVision, trained 15 participants in modern beekeeping techniques and financial management. Governor Vipuakuje Muharukua aims to expand the programme to 200 beehive outlets across the region, using profits from initial sales to train additional beekeepers and create livelihoods.
Namibia's Environment Ministry has denied authorising the Kaoko Fria Smart City project within Skeleton Coast National Park, citing conservation concerns, while the Kunene Regional Council says it was never consulted despite the company's recruitment drive in Windhoek. The company claims it has submitted environmental assessments and is seeking deproclamation of the park for the development.
The 19.3 MWp Gerus Solar One Project, located between Otjiwarongo and Otavi, was officially inaugurated by the British High Commissioner. The plant, developed by Solarcentury Africa in partnership with Sino Energy, will sell electricity directly into the Southern African Power Pool, contributing to Namibia's renewable energy capacity and regional power trade.
Following the discovery of 21-year-old Florencia Jacobs' body behind an Outjo fire station, Kunene governor Vipuakuje Muharukua has called for regional vigils and donations to support the bereaved family. Outjo constituency youth forum chairperson Ben Narib is urging community members and public servants to help prevent crime in the area.
Kunene is one of Namibia's fourteen regions, extending from the Atlantic Ocean to the Angolan border and home to Himba, Damara, and Nama communities. With a 2023 population of 120,762 and low population density, the region's capital is Opuwo and current governor is Vipuakuje Muharukua.
Court proceedings in Opuwo have been delayed due to a shortage of magistrates and interpreters, with one magistrate managing two court rolls and inadequate coverage for Otjiherero and Damara/Nama speakers. A local lawyer warns the delays violate the right to fair trial, while the judiciary says it faces structural challenges in interpreting all indigenous languages across courts.
PDM president McHenry Venaani criticised Namibian journalism for failing to contribute effectively to political discourse, citing inexperienced journalists, inadequate investment, and over-reliance on artificial intelligence. He also urged opposition parties to form coalitions to prevent Swapo from regaining a two-thirds majority, and reported PDM's electoral performance as satisfactory, including reclaiming the Okakarara constituency.
The governors of Ohangwena, Omusati, Oshana and Kunene regions are on a working visit to Angola to exchange knowledge on maize and wheat seed production and subsistence farming support. They met with Angola's Cunene Province acting governor and visited farms to observe production and food security practices.