… Similar concerns have also emerged in the Zambezi region, where traditional leaders say land disputes, illegal allocations and pressure on natural resources are threatening stability in rural communities. …
… Windhoek councillor Austin Kwenani responded by referring to an earlier case in the Zambezi region where councillors repaid N$136 000 in unauthorised subsistence and travel allowances after a trip to Botswana and Zambia was rejected by the minister. …
Members of the Namibian Police from Impalila and Kasika police stations in the Zambezi Region, together with the Namibian Navy, conducted a joint operation on Saturday to clamp dow... …
Ombudsman Basilius Dyakugha says overcrowding is a major concern in police holding cells in the Oshana, Oshikoto and Zambezi regions, to the extent that inmates are sleeping on top of each other. …
Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) says they will continue to provide for the 2 700 flood affected households in the Zambezi region for the next three months. …
… Consumers in zone 1, covering the Kavango East, Kavango West, Kunene, Ohangwena, Omusati, Oshana, Oshikoto, Otjozondjupa, and Zambezi regions, paid the highest price for diesel at N$24.31 per litre in April. …
Staff Reporter THE Ministry of Health and Social Services has inaugurated the Zambezi Region’s first state renal dialysis unit at Katima Mulilo State Hospital, a development aimed at improving access to treatment for kidney disease patients in the region. …
Patience Makwele The scaling down of operations by the Meat Corporation of Namibia (Meatco) at the Katima Mulilo abattoir has left farmers in the Zambezi region uncertain about the future of cattle marketing and the stability of the local livestock sector. …
Urban and rural development minister James Sankwasa argues that traditional chiefs in Namibia are appointed from royal bloodlines and accountable only to royal families, noting that Namibia's monarchies control land, influence local governance and receive state funding. The article contends that these monarchies are political actors rather than neutral cultural institutions and traces their roots to pre-colonial systems of social hierarchy later reshaped by colonial administrations.
Why it matters
Minister's argument for abolishing traditional monarchies opens major constitutional and governance debate about power structures, land control, and state funding.
Urban and rural development minister James Sankwasa argues that traditional chiefs in Namibia are appointed from royal bloodlines and accountable only to royal families, noting that Namibia's monarchies control land, influence local governance and receive state funding. The article contends that these monarchies are political actors rather than neutral cultural institutions and traces their roots to pre-colonial systems of social hierarchy later reshaped by colonial administrations.
Zambezi region has just eight child welfare social workers to serve its entire population, putting vulnerable children at risk and overwhelming an already strained welfare system.
Minister of Home Affairs Lucia Iipumbu addressed regional staff in Katima Mulilo, calling for vigilance against illicit cross-border crimes while urging professionalism in facilitating lawful movement, legitimate trade, and tourism. Iipumbu is conducting a two-day working visit to the region to inspect ministerial projects and conduct border visits.
The National Assembly reconvenes on 2 June 2026 after a month recess during which MPs conducted oversight visits, stakeholder consultations, and regional and international parliamentary engagements. Deputy Speaker Katamelo was appointed chairperson of the Pan-African Parliament Committee on Cooperation, International Relations and Conflict Resolution, while parliamentary committees assessed poverty alleviation and service delivery, including concerns over an incomplete N$41 million Eenhana Town Council building project.
Police in the Zambezi region registered a culpable homicide case after Sanzila Nyambe died in a road accident on the B8 Ngoma road when his vehicle hit a cow and crashed into a mopane tree. Two other occupants were transported to hospital; separately, two men were arrested for driving without licences and with excessive alcohol content.
Home affairs minister Lucia Iipumbu has warned that inconsistent decision-making, weak discipline and communication failures within the security cluster are eroding public trust in Namibia's frontline services. She made the remarks during a regional ministerial staff meeting in Katima Mulilo, bringing together officials from Immigration, the Namibian Police Force and the Namibian Correctional Service to inspect border posts and ministry projects in the Zambezi region.
Police are investigating a series of housebreaking and robbery incidents across Namibia over the weekend, including a robbery at a residence in Academia, Windhoek, where five suspects allegedly broke into a house occupied by an elderly couple and stole firearms, ammunition, electronic devices and cash. Additional break-ins were reported in Onandjaba and Swakopmund, with arrests made in some cases while investigations continue into others.
Home Affairs Minister Lucia Iipumbu addressed Zambezi regional staff at Katima Mulilo, calling for vigilance against illicit cross-border crimes while upholding professionalism and consistent law enforcement despite operational challenges in the region.
The Namibia Film Commission is running a Kino Namibia workshop at the MICT Zambezi Regional Office with around 45 aspiring filmmakers, providing hands-on training in storytelling, scriptwriting and film production ahead of the Kino Namibia Film Festival scheduled for 6 June. Participants are organised into three production teams to create short films based on stories from their own communities.
Chiefs from Kavango East and West say government-driven communal land reforms could weaken customary authority and increase pressure on ancestral land. They warned that formal land registration could lead to increased land sales and leave future generations without access to ancestral land, citing a conflict between customary practices and statutory law.
Activist Sem David has called on the City of Windhoek and Ministry of Urban and Rural Development to release full details of mayor Sackarias Uunona's trip to the World Urban Forum in Baku, Azerbaijan, questioning the purpose and cost of the visit and why technical officials were not sent instead.
Members of the Namibian Police from Impalila and Kasika police stations in the Zambezi Region, together with the Namibian Navy, conducted a joint operation on Saturday to clamp down on illegal fishing.
Ombudsman Basilius Dyakugha has raised concerns about severe overcrowding in police holding cells across eight northern regions, with facilities such as Omuthiya and Oshakati police stations holding over 800 inmates each, and Katima Mulilo holding over 280 inmates in cells designed for 80. Dyakugha attributed the overcrowding to prolonged case finalization, lack of bail releases, and lengthy investigations.
The FAO says Namibia produces about 371,800 metric tonnes of mahangu annually, meeting only 52% of national demand, while the rest is imported. The country has launched the One Country One Priority Product initiative to improve mahangu production and strengthen its value chain, given that mahangu is the primary cereal for more than 60% of Namibians.
The Ministry of Home Affairs says Angolan nationals, including children on Namibian streets, do not qualify for refugee status under Namibian law and international conventions, as they left Angola seeking socio-economic opportunities rather than fleeing persecution.
The Office of the Prime Minister will provide food and relief supplies for the next three months to 2,700 flood-affected households in Zambezi region, where annual and flash floods have displaced residents and destroyed crops. About 20 relocation camps have been established across the region's affected constituencies.
Namibia's annual inflation rate slowed to 3.1% in April 2026, though transport and fuel costs remain under pressure. Consumers in northern regions (zone 1) paid the highest diesel price at N$24.31 per litre, while Khomas residents (zone 2) paid the lowest at N$24.12.
The Ministry of Health and Social Services inaugurated a renal dialysis unit at Katima Mulilo State Hospital, with government investment of more than N$7 million, to provide kidney disease treatment locally and reduce the need for patients to travel to other towns.
The Meat Corporation of Namibia is scaling down operations at the Katima Mulilo abattoir following the expiry of its agreement with Zambezi Meat Corporation, creating uncertainty among farmers in the region about cattle sales and livestock sector stability. Farmers express concern about market continuity and warn that legal disputes during the handover could disrupt operations.
Meatco is winding down operations at its Katima Mulilo abattoir following the expiry of its operational agreement with the Zambezi Meat Corporation, a decision that has triggered concern among communal farmers who relied on the facility for market access and employment.
With winter approaching, Namibia faces drier and windier conditions that increase fire risk, particularly during drought periods. Santam Namibia chief executive Franco Feris recommends clearing properties of dry vegetation, keeping fire extinguishers accessible, and reviewing insurance coverage to protect against fire-related damage.
Nedbank Namibia visited Rundu and Katima Mulilo as part of its Managing Director Roadshow to strengthen relationships with communities and businesses while shaping its 2026 strategy around regional needs. The bank highlighted partnerships such as the Wapa Nawa Recycling Centre through its Team Challenge initiative.
Meatco has announced a structured exit from Katima Mulilo Abattoir operations following the contractual expiry of its Memorandum of Agreement with Zambezi Meat Corporation on 15 April 2026. The company will implement a transitional plan from mid-April to 30 June 2026, during which it will progressively scale down operations including inventory verification and gradual reduction of stock levels.
The Namibia Meteorological Service predicts frost in central and southern regions on Wednesday, with temperatures expected to drop further. Cold and windy conditions are likely to persist and intensify, with some rain showers also expected in the southern and Zambezi regions.
Defence Minister Frans Kapofi denied reports that the Namibian Defence Force has assumed responsibility for protecting President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, saying the military could step in only if required. The denial comes after an alleged security breach at State House on Thursday, when an unidentified man allegedly entered the presidential residence and reached the private living area before being apprehended, though details of how he gained access and whether he was arrested remain unclear.
A naked man allegedly breached State House security and reached the president's private floor on Thursday afternoon, with sources blaming police and presidential security for the failure. The incident has raised questions about police inspector general Joseph Shikongo's job security, though the Presidency denied dismissing him on Saturday.
Transport ministers from Namibia, Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo launched the user pays principle funding model at the Wenela Border Post in the Zambezi region, designed to ensure fairness and efficiency by requiring direct users to pay for services. The model supports the Walvis Bay-Ndola-Lumbumbashi Agreement and aims to facilitate movement of goods, services and persons through simplified controls and harmonised requirements.
Opposition leaders and labour experts have raised concerns about "jobs for comrades"—the practice of hiring based on political party membership and regional affiliation rather than merit. The Popular Democratic Movement secretary general Manuel Ngaringombe says the practice undermines fair employment and compromises nationalism, tracing the issue back to post-independence hiring patterns within state-owned enterprises.
Inspector General Joseph Shikongo said the recent transfer of senior officers, including Commissioner Julia Sakua to Zambezi region and Commissioner Andreas Pingana Shilelo to Oshana, is a planned strategic move to strengthen the force and improve service delivery, not a reaction to isolated incidents.