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Sunday, 6 September 2026
Namibia’s news, on the hour · Est. 2026
Sunday, 6 September 2026
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Namibian press · Person

Willem Amutenya

Also known as: MP Willem Amutenya

National Assembly member advocating for youth development policy, mental health training expansion, and education access in rural communities.

2024-10-242026-09-06

What’s been said

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

  1. September 2026
  2. The Namibian

    Swapo parliamentarian Willem Amutenya said motion must satisfy constitutional and procedural requirements

    Source

    "The fundamental question is whether the motion qualifies under . . . the standing rules . . . as a motion that may properly be moved without notice, and whether the constitutional and procedural requirements for seeking the removal of the speaker have been satisfied," he said.

    Swapo vows speaker removal ‘over our dead bodies’
  3. August 2026
  4. The Namibian

    Swapo MP Willem Amutenya urged education minister Sanet Steenkamp to review NYS admission requirements

    Source

    Swapo member of parliament Willem Amutenya has urged education minister Sanet Steenkamp to review the National Youth Service's (NYS) admission requirements, arguing that they unfairly exclude those the programme was created to assist.

    NYS entry rules ‘shut out’ vulnerable youth, MP warns
  5. The Namibian

    Amutenya says NYS requirements appear inconsistent with National Youth Service Act objectives

    Source

    In a letter dated 29 July, Amutenya says the requirements for the 17th voluntary national service training programme appear inconsistent with the objectives of the National Youth Service Act.

    NYS entry rules ‘shut out’ vulnerable youth, MP warns
  6. July 2026
  7. Windhoek Observer

    Committee member Willem Amutenya questioned the impact of accreditation delays on students

    Source

    Committee member Willem Amutenya questioned the impact of accreditation delays on students, asking what becomes of those enrolled when institutions fail to secure timely accreditation.

    MPs question health training quality
  8. The Namibian

    Willem Amutenya called on health training institutions to expand mental health training

    Source

    Member of parliament Willem Amutenya has called on health training institutions to expand mental health training to support the new Mental Health Act.

    MP Amutenya pushes for mental health courses
  9. The Namibian

    Amutenya urged health training institutions to introduce mental health programmes

    Source

    He urged health training institutions, especially private institutions, to introduce programmes that will prepare professionals to support the implementation of the new law.

    MP Amutenya pushes for mental health courses
  10. June 2026
  11. The Namibian

    Willem Amutenya called for urgent extraordinary meeting of SPYL central committee

    Source

    A Swapo Party Youth League (SPYL) central committee member has called for an urgent extraordinary meeting of the youth league's central committee following the chaotic National Youth Council (NYC) general assembly that was cancelled at Swakopmund last week.

    SPYL leader demands urgent meeting over NYC chaos
  12. April 2026
  13. New Era

    Swapo parliamentarian Willem Amutenya described Uerikua as a remarkable human being

    Source

    Swapo parliamentarian Willem Amutenya described Uerikua as a remarkable human being, noting that he was always youthful in spirit, juvenile in the most admirable sense, vibrant, full of life, and unapologetically present.

    Comrades, colleagues mourn Uerikua
  14. The Namibian

    Willem Amutenya is a member of the National Assembly

    Source

    Willem Amutenya is a member of the National Assembly.

    Cadre James Unomasa Uerikua
  15. The Namibian

    Willem Amutenya describes Uerikua as a 'committed leader' who brought energy, intellect and humour to parliamentary debates

    Source

    Fellow Swapo MP Willem Amutenya describes Uerikua as a "committed leader" who brought energy, intellect and humour to parliamentary debates.

    Uerikua remembered as ‘fearless debater, vibrant voice’
Politics

Swapo vows to block removal of National Assembly speaker

The News

Swapo deputy secretary general Uahekua Herunga said the party would not allow the removal of National Assembly speaker Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, dismissing an IPC motion to remove her as political theatrics and citing procedural violations. Opposition parties would need at least four Swapo votes to succeed in removing the speaker, who has faced criticism from opposition over her application of standing rules.

5 hours ago · The Namibian

Today

  1. Swapo vows to block removal of National Assembly speaker

    Swapo deputy secretary general Uahekua Herunga said the party would not allow the removal of National Assembly speaker Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, dismissing an IPC motion to remove her as political theatrics and citing procedural violations. Opposition parties would need at least four Swapo votes to succeed in removing the speaker, who has faced criticism from opposition over her application of standing rules.

    5 hours ago · The Namibian

Tuesday 1 September

  1. ECN chairperson nomination stalled over quorum shortfall

    The National Assembly failed to reach the required 49-vote quorum to decide on Gerson Sindano's nomination as Electoral Commission of Namibia chairperson, with only 45 MPs supporting the motion on Tuesday. Opposition MPs walked out of the chamber in protest, with disagreement over whether this constitutes a genuine absence of quorum or a deliberate obstruction of the voting process.

    1 September 2026 · The Namibian

Wednesday 12 August

  1. Amutenya urges NYS to raise recruitment age limit to thirty-five

    National Assembly member Willem Amutenya has called on the National Youth Service to extend its recruitment age limit to include Namibians aged 31–35, arguing that this age group remains critical to social and economic development and should not be excluded from youth empowerment initiatives.

    12 August 2026 · Windhoek Observer

Monday 3 August

  1. MP warns NYS admission rules exclude vulnerable youth

    Swapo MP Willem Amutenya has urged the education minister to review the National Youth Service's admission requirements, arguing that the academic threshold and age limit (16–30) exclude disadvantaged youth the programme was intended to assist, and calls for broadened access.

    3 August 2026 · The Namibian

Monday 13 July

  1. Parliament approves ACC chief, warns against selective justice

    The National Assembly unanimously approved Bryan Eiseb as director general of the Anti-Corruption Commission while lawmakers across parties warned the institution must pursue corruption without political interference and shed its reputation for allowing politically connected cases to go unpunished.

    13 July 2026 · Windhoek Observer

Monday 6 July

  1. Parliament inquires into health training quality and graduate unemployment

    Parliament's Standing Committee on Education has launched an inquiry into Namibia's health training sector over concerns about graduate unemployment, accreditation delays, and training quality as the number of health training institutions has grown. The committee convened a two-day consultation with institutions, regulators, and students, with representatives from 12 health training institutions citing prolonged accreditation processes and overlapping regulatory requirements as obstacles.

    6 July 2026 · Windhoek Observer

Friday 3 July

  1. MP urges health training institutions to expand mental health courses

    Member of parliament Willem Amutenya has called on health training institutions to expand mental health training to support the new Mental Health Act, saying most institutions made little or no mention of mental health programmes during a parliamentary consultation. He noted that Namibia has too few psychiatrists and community health workers to meet the country's growing mental health needs, and urged especially private institutions to introduce programmes to prepare professionals for the law's implementation.

    3 July 2026 · The Namibian

Wednesday 24 June

  1. SPYL leader calls urgent meeting over NYC assembly chaos

    A Swapo Party Youth League central committee member has requested an urgent extraordinary meeting to address public claims linking SPYL members and senior party leaders to the disruption of the National Youth Council general assembly that was cancelled in Swakopmund last week.

    24 June 2026 · The Namibian

Sunday 26 April

  1. Indigenous Namibian chicken breed gains popularity in South Africa

    South African farmers have become interested in the Herero chicken, an indigenous breed brought from Namibia's Gobabis region in 2001, which sells for up to N$1,000 each. The breed is valued for its meat quality and dual-purpose utility, including egg-laying and tick removal from livestock.

    26 April 2026 · The Namibian

Wednesday 8 April

  1. Swapo MP James Uerikua dies in car accident

    Swapo member of Parliament and former Otjozondjupa governor James Unomasa Uerikua died in a car accident between Otjiwarongo and Okakarara on Friday, along with his 14-year-old son. Parliamentary colleagues and opposition leaders mourned him as a capable legislator, committed servant, and respected figure across political divides.

    8 April 2026 · New Era

  2. Namibian lawmaker James Unomasa Uerikua dies suddenly

    A National Assembly member has penned a tribute to fellow lawmaker James Unomasa Uerikua following his sudden death. The piece describes Uerikua as an articulate and intellectually fearless parliamentarian whose sharp political contributions enriched legislative debate, and notes that his son died alongside him.

    8 April 2026 · The Namibian

  3. Swapo MP James Uerikua dies in Easter road accident

    Swapo parliamentarian James Uerikua, 43, and his 14-year-old son died Friday when their vehicle overturned on the Otjiwarongo-Okakarara road after a rear tyre burst. Colleagues remembered him as a sharp-minded, articulate, and humorous legislator with a passion for farming.

    8 April 2026 · The Namibian

Tuesday 7 April

  1. Swapo MP James Uerikua dies in car accident at 43

    James Unomasa Uerikua, a Swapo member of Parliament and former governor of Otjozondjupa region, died on Friday in a car accident between Otjiwarongo and Okakarara; his 14-year-old son also died from injuries sustained in the crash. Political leaders across parties paid tribute to him as a promising young leader and voice for the voiceless.

    7 April 2026 · New Era

Sunday 5 April

  1. Swapo MP James Uerikua dies in road accident aged 43

    Swapo member of parliament James Uerikua, 43, died in a road accident between Otjiwarongo and Okakarara in the Otjozondjupa region while travelling with his family. Colleagues remembered him as a fearless, articulate debater who brought intellect and humour to parliamentary discourse and strengthened national security and international cooperation.

    5 April 2026 · The Namibian

Wednesday 25 March

  1. At least 91 MPs declare assets and business interests

    At least 91 parliamentarians have submitted asset and interest declarations as required under parliamentary standing rules, with MPs disclosing shareholdings in telecommunications, banking, and brewing companies, as well as residential and commercial properties across Namibia. Failure to comply with annual declaration requirements constitutes a breach of parliamentary rules and may result in referral to the Committee of Privileges for disciplinary measures including fines or formal reprimands.

    25 March 2026 · New Era

Sunday 22 March

  1. Former prisoner opens affordable gym in Katutura community

    Johannes Jackson, who served eight years in prison, co-founded Ondumbo Niise Gym in Katutura's Ombili area in 2020 with Phillip Shikemeni to keep young people off the streets and build community fitness. The gym has grown from five to 150 members at N$30 per day or N$200 monthly, with free training available to those who cannot afford fees, and is now seeking expansion support and sponsors.

    22 March 2026 · The Namibian

Tuesday 17 March

  1. Oshikoto governor denies political bias in Independence Day speaker selection

    Oshikoto Governor Sacky Kathindi denied that keynote speakers for regional Independence Day celebrations were chosen based on political affiliation, saying the selection was a collective decision focused on the region's challenges and service delivery rather than party considerations.

    17 March 2026 · The Namibian

Monday 16 March

  1. Oshikoto Independence Day speakers defended as national, not partisan

    Nahas Angula and regional officials have defended the selection of 11 Swapo members as speakers for Oshikoto's 36th Independence Day event, saying the invitations were issued by the regional council and constituency leadership based on availability and status as leaders, not political affiliation. They acknowledge that Independence Day is a national event open to all Namibians and claim non-Swapo members were also invited, though specifics were not provided.

    16 March 2026 · The Namibian

Wednesday 4 February

  1. Parliamentary committee flags slow project execution in ||Kharas region

    A parliamentary standing committee has identified poor execution and delays in government-funded projects across the ||Kharas region, with committee chairperson Iipumbu Shiimi calling for officials to take project implementation more seriously and improve accountability to parliament.

    4 February 2026 · The Namibian

Monday 26 January

  1. Deputy minister urges youth toward modern, value-driven agriculture

    Deputy agriculture minister Ruthy Masake told young Namibians at an Oniipa engagement that the future of agriculture rests in their hands, urging them to embrace modern farming practices and access low-interest loans through the National Youth Development Fund launched in September 2025. Legislator Willem Amutenya stressed the need to commercialise production on communal land and secure reliable markets for northern region produce.

    26 January 2026 · New Era

Wednesday 14 January

  1. MP donates shoes to disadvantaged learners in rural school

    Lawmaker Willem Amutenya donated 30 pairs of school shoes to learners at Kandume Combined School in Oshikoto region, which serves over 1,000 students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Amutenya and local councillor Erastus Nekomba, both former teachers, urged learners to study hard and called on parents to prioritize education over household chores.

    14 January 2026 · New Era

Willem Amutenya — Namibian press coverage · Namibia Minute