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October 2026
The Namibian
Popular Democratic Movement MP Winnie Moongoraised concerns aboutthe traceability and manipulation of number plates
Source
“Nekundi made the announcement in the National Assembly on Thursday while responding to Popular Democratic Movement MP Winnie Moongo, who raised concerns about the traceability and manipulation of number plates.”
Winnie Moongohas welcomedthe increase in Social Security Commission maternity benefit from N$15,000 to N$20,000
Source
“Ester Hakaala Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) Member of Parliament Winnie Moongo, a staunch advocate for health issues and wellbeing of mothers, has welcomed the increase in the Social Security Commission maternity benefit from N$15 000 to N$20 000.”
Winnie Moongocalled forfive months of maternity leave with full pay and meaningful paternity leave
Source
“Moongo said she would continue advocating for five months of maternity leave with full pay, noting that although 14 weeks is an improvement, more should be done to support mothers and newborns.”
Winnie Moongois seeking information onhow frequently prices are monitored from producers to retailers
Source
“Moongo is also seeking information on how frequently prices are monitored from producers and importers to wholesalers and retailers, and how the information collected is acted upon.”
Health professional and MP Winnie MoongosaidSPPS initiative represents critical opportunity but political commitment needed
Source
“Also weighing in, health professional and MP Winnie Moongo said the SPPS initiative represents a critical opportunity for SADC to strengthen healthcare systems, but political commitment is needed to turn the vision into reality.”
Popular Democratic Movement MP Winnie Moongotabled a motion calling fora review of the quality of health training and examination of accreditation processes
Source
“The motion was tabled by Popular Democratic Movement member of parliament Winnie Moongo in June 2025, calling for a review of the quality of health training to determine whether programmes meet labour market needs, and to examine the accreditation processes of the Namibia Qualifications Authority and the Health Professions Council of Namibia.”
PDM Member of Parliament Winnie Moongoraised the issue ofenvironmental health practitioners' grading in Parliament
Source
“Meanwhile, Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) Member of Parliament Winnie Moongo said she had already raised the issue of environmental health practitioners' grading in Parliament earlier this year and continues to advocate for reform.”
Winnie Moongocalled on the health ministry to initiatea transparent, evidence-based job evaluation process
Source
“Moongo called on the health ministry to initiate a transparent, evidence-based job evaluation process to ensure that qualifications, statutory responsibilities, and grading levels are properly aligned across the health sector.”
Works and transport minister Veikko Nekundi announced that Namibia will soon introduce new vehicle number plates with enhanced security features including barcodes to combat fraud, vehicle theft, and manipulation of registration details. The ministry has activated regulations for number plate manufacturers and is consulting stakeholders; all number plates, including private and public transport plates, will be replaced.
Works and transport minister Veikko Nekundi announced that Namibia will soon introduce new vehicle number plates with enhanced security features including barcodes to combat fraud, vehicle theft, and manipulation of registration details. The ministry has activated regulations for number plate manufacturers and is consulting stakeholders; all number plates, including private and public transport plates, will be replaced.
Number-plate manufacturers have been operating in Namibia without mandatory registration despite existing regulations, but Works and Transport Minister Veikko Nekundi announced in Parliament that the government has activated Part 5 of the Road Traffic and Transport Regulations to require manufacturers to register. The activation follows technical challenges including lack of harmonised standards across SADC.
The Social Security Commission maternity benefit has been increased from N$15,000 to N$20,000, effective 1 October 2026, announced by the Minister of Justice and Labour Relations. PDM MP Winnie Moongo, a long-time advocate for improved maternity support, welcomed the change as a significant step for working women, though she noted further improvements are still needed.
Parliamentarian Winnie Moongo asked the government what strategies are in place to prevent unjustifiably high prices for essential food items and how it monitors pricing practices across the food supply chain, citing significant price differences for the same products between retailers and regions.
SADC governments spend billions on medicines and supplies, yet hospitals and clinics face shortages of essential drugs. A regional pooled procurement system, approved in 2017, would allow member states to combine purchasing power and negotiate better prices, but implementation remains slow nearly a decade later.
Members of Parliament have challenged the incoming Anti-Corruption Commission leadership to demonstrate independence and impartiality, with lawmakers warning that the institution's credibility depends on investigating corruption without fear or favour. Swapo MP Tobie Aupindi criticized the outgoing ACC leadership and alleged the commission had been weaponized to settle political scores and applied investigations selectively.
Health training institutions have called for a streamlined, harmonised accreditation system to reduce duplicate inspections and regulatory overlap. They cite long approval processes and a shortage of clinical training sites as obstacles to training health professionals.
Nursing students at the University of Namibia are being turned away from some clinics because student numbers are growing faster than the capacity of health facilities to supervise clinical placements. Unam's executive dean told Parliament that overcrowding has become one of the university's biggest challenges.
Environmental health practitioners and assistants across Namibia have petitioned the ministry of health and social services to review and upgrade their profession's grading structure, arguing that their qualifications and responsibilities are not adequately reflected in the current public service framework. The practitioners, who hold honours degrees and diplomas respectively, perform essential public health functions including food safety, water quality monitoring, sanitation, waste management, vector control, and disease surveillance.
A PDM member of parliament has tabled questions to the home affairs minister about persistent administrative and operational deficiencies in police stations, including inadequate fleet management, delayed vehicle maintenance, and uneven resource distribution between regions. She is seeking details on how many police stations lack adequate vehicles, measures to address maintenance delays, and the impact of suspended border patrol activities on border security.
Construction of the Eenhana Town Council building, which began in 2018, remains incomplete due to non-payment of the contractor. The N$41 million project has had approximately N$27 million spent, with an estimated N$9 million still required for completion.
The Namibia Nurses Union says nurses remain the backbone of the healthcare system despite facing staff shortages, burnout, unsafe working conditions and limited professional development opportunities, and called on government, healthcare institutions and policymakers to prioritize nurses' welfare and protection. A PDM MP also called on government to prioritize the mental well-being of psychiatric nurses, proposing dedicated psychological support and a special mental wellness allowance for those working in psychiatric departments.
Popular Democratic Movement MP Winnie Moongo told Parliament that ||Kharas and Hardap regions have no blood banks, forcing transfusions to be limited to district hospitals and leaving rural residents without timely access to blood. She highlighted that the national blood supply is consistently limited and that only 1% of Namibians donate blood, citing misconceptions about the donation process, and asked the health minister what plans exist to improve access and boost voluntary donations.
PDM parliamentarian Winnie Moongo has raised concerns with the ICT minister about prepaid data expiration policies imposed by MTC and Telecom Namibia, arguing that consumers lose paid-for data due to restrictive usage timelines and that this disproportionately affects low-income and rural Namibians. She called on the Communications Regulatory Authority to ensure these practices align with consumer protection principles and public interest.