Namibia's National Assembly to debate land, petroleum, and mental health bills
via The Namibian2 min read
The Namibian National Assembly is set to resume today, with the land bill expected to be a central focus due to public concern over land access and calls for legislative reform. Following the approval of the 2026/27 national budget, lawmakers will address several key pieces of legislation, including the land bill, the public enterprises governance amendment bill, the petroleum bill, and the mental health bill. Parliamentarian Vetaruhe Kandorozu emphasized the need to complete the mental health bill before moving on to the others. Political analyst Ndumba Kamwanyah anticipates robust debate on these bills, highlighting their implications for governance, resource management, and national development. Kamwanyah stressed the land bill's priority, describing land as a sensitive national issue affecting livelihoods, investment, housing, agriculture, and social equity, and called for careful scrutiny to ensure fairness, transparency, and protection of citizens' rights. He also noted the importance of the regional councils bill for decentralization and local governance. Regarding the petroleum bill, which President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah wants under her office, Kamwanyah cautioned against provisions that could centralize excessive authority, advocating for strong oversight, transparency, and accountability. Political analyst Dobson Kwala views all bills as important for addressing societal needs, but noted Namibia's slow implementation of legislation despite extensive discussions. To
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by The Namibian.
Edelweiss airline inaugurated its direct flight service between Zurich, Switzerland, and Windhoek, Namibia, with 285 passengers arriving at Hosea Kutako International Airport. The Namibia Airports Company NAC reported that 261 passengers also departed for Zurich on the return flight. NAC spokesperson Dan Kamati highlighted that this non-stop commercial air service signifies growing connections between Namibia and Europe, aiming to enhance tourism and investment. Switzerland is already a key market, with about 22,000 two-way passengers recorded in 2024. The new route will initially operate twice weekly, with plans to increase to three flights per week from mid-July. NAC chief executive Bisey /Uirab stated that the route is a bridge between Europe and Namibia, strengthening Namibia's position as a globally connected tourism and investment destination. Edelweiss, a subsidiary of the Lufthansa Group, will utilize its Airbus A350 aircraft for this route. NAC is also exploring cargo-handling developments at Namibian airports to diversify revenue streams.
Must ReadThe Independent Patriots for Change has called on Namibia's energy ministry to provide a full explanation regarding its decision to grant international oil trader Vitol an exclusive three-month contract for fuel supply. Minister of industries, mines and energy Modestus Amutse announced the agreement, citing potential government savings. However, the absence of a transparent tender process has sparked public concern. Shadow minister for international relations and trade Rodney Cloete questioned why the strategic national fuel supply was awarded without competitive tenders and sought clarification on any potential extensions beyond September 30. Cloete also demanded details on the contract's terms, conditions, and pricing methodology. He highlighted Vitol's past admission of bribing officials in other countries, expressing concern about entrusting the country's sole fuel supply to such an entity through a confidential, non-competitive process. Furthermore, Cloete raised issues about the minister's dual role in appointing fuel suppliers and overseeing competition regulations, specifically noting a condition imposed by the Namibian Competition Commission preventing Nasan Energies from purchasing fuel from Vitol for five years. He described the situation as a matter of basic procedural fairness.
Canadian investment firm Oregen Energy has appointed Phil Birch, a geoscientist credited with the discovery of TotalEnergies’ offshore Namibia Venus prospect, as its strategic adviser. Oregen Energy recently acquired a stake in Petrovena’s license for oil block 2712A in the Orange Basin. Birch, who retired from Impact Oil and Gas last year, expressed enthusiasm for joining Oregen, stating his interest in assisting whoever licensed the block. His involvement in Namibian exploration began in the early 2010s with Black Star Petroleum, a company he owned. Black Star Petroleum aimed to explore along the west coast of Africa and eventually partnered with Knowledge Katti, who held the license for the block. Due to a lack of funds for a full exploration campaign, Black Star was acquired by Impact Oil and Gas. Birch estimated that drilling the prospect would cost at least US$100 million. Despite initial rejections from major oil companies, Impact Oil and Gas eventually convinced TotalEnergies to farm in. In February 2022, TotalEnergies announced a significant discovery of light oil on the block. Birch believes that oil and gas could be transformative for Namibia, emphasizing the importance of managing the resources fairly to benefit as many Namibians as possible and to build other industries.
More than 105,000 households across Namibia received rice assistance in May as part of ongoing government-led drought relief efforts. The World Food Programme WFP Namibia Country Brief for May reported that 105,813 households benefited from food assistance, with 2,326 metric tonnes of rice distributed nationwide. Women accounted for 53% of beneficiaries, and men 47%. These distributions are part of efforts implemented through the Office of the Prime Minister’s directorate of disaster risk management, targeting vulnerable households affected by climate-related shocks. The WFP noted that despite a decline in acute hunger levels due to drought recovery interventions, multiple economic and climate-related shocks continue to put pressure on vulnerable communities, keeping food assistance needs elevated. However, Namibia's overall food security situation has improved, supported by better rainfall, government interventions, and humanitarian assistance. An estimated 456,000 people were in need of assistance from July to September 2025, down from 1.15 million in the previous assessment period. Rice distributions, funded by the Republic of Korea, are expected to continue until December, with 4,896 metric tonnes of rice allocated to support 384,935 households across all 14 regions. By the end of May, 58,148 bags of rice, each weighing 40 kilograms, had been distributed, representing approximately 48% of the total consignment. Challenges in implementation include rising fuel costs and li