When President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah took the oath of office, she pledged inclusivity and fairness as guiding principles for her administration. “No special treatment” was her rallying cry, meant to signal a new era in which government would lead by example, not by exception.
Yet, one long-standing tradition continues to sit awkwardly alongside that promise: the so-called Prime Minister’s Kindness. This is the practice of allowing public servants to leave work early, sometimes at 10h00, sometimes at 14h0, on the eve of public holidays. The reasoning has always been straightforward: give workers a head start to travel home, prepare meals, or begin celebrating with family.
The gesture is well-meaning, and many in the civil service look forward to it. But in a modern Namibia, where fairness and inclusivity are being elevated as national values, it raises an important question: does this “kindness” still make sense?
The Cost of Kindness
Namibia observes about 12 official public holidays each year. If every eve of a holiday translates into a half-day off, the country effectively loses the equivalent of six full working days annually across the public service.
With roughly 100,000 government employees, each half-day equals around 50,000 workdays lost every year. At an average monthly salary of N$20,000, or roughly N$950 per working day, this amounts to nearly N$47.5 million in direct costs annually.
That figure only reflects salaries paid for hours not worked. The hidden costs are harder to measure but perhaps more damaging: slower processing of passports, licenses, and approvals; business transactions stuck in limbo; citizens frustrated by “Come back after the holiday.” For an economy trying to position itself as efficient and attractive to investors, these inefficiencies carry weight.
A Question of Fairness
The fairness argument is perhaps the strongest critique. The private sector, which employs most Namibians and generates the bulk of national revenue, does not enjoy this perk.
Shops, banks, factories, farms, and service industries remain fully operational, sometimes working harder on the eve of a holiday. For retailers, hospitality businesses, and transport operators, holidays mean longer hours and higher demand. To many in these industries, watching civil servants leave early feels like salt in the wound.
If inclusivity is truly our guiding principle, why should kindness stop at the doors of ministries and agencies? Either everyone should benefit, or the practice should be reconsidered.
The Other Side of the Coin
Still, it would be unfair to dismiss the practice entirely without acknowledging its intentions and historical roots.
For decades, Namibians have lived with long distances separating families. Many public servants work in Windhoek or regional towns, while their extended families remain in rural villages. Allowing them to leave early has been a recognition of that reality: without it, many would spend half the holiday on the road rather than with loved ones.
There is also a cultural dimension. Holidays in Namibia, whether Independence Day, Heroes Day, or Christmas, are not merely breaks from work. They are moments of collective identity, remembrance, and family togetherness. Allowing staff to leave early can be seen as a nod to these traditions, a reminder that work should not entirely consume life.
From a human perspective, many civil servants also endure heavy workloads and limited financial rewards compared to the private sector. For them, this half-day has always felt like a small token of appreciation, a way of saying: “We see you.” In a world where morale in the public sector is often low, kindness has its place.
The Hidden Price of Good Intentions
But even with good intentions, the unintended consequences are undeniable.
- Service disruptions: Citizens needing urgent documents or government services often find offices closed or staff unavailable.
- Business bottlenecks: Companies depending on government sign-offs experience delays that ripple into investment and economic activity.
- Perception problems: The private sector increasingly sees government as detached from the realities of ordinary workers, deepening the cultural divide between public and private employment.
When measured against the President’s promise of fairness, the symbolism of “Prime Minister’s Kindness” may now undermine the very values the administration wants to project.
Towards Real Inclusivity
So, what can be done?
- End the practice outright. This would send a powerful message that no sector is above another. It would save millions in lost productivity and align perfectly with the President’s “no special treatment” ethos.
- Extend it to all. Revising labour laws to allow all workers to leave early on holiday eves would spread the benefit evenly. But this would come at enormous economic cost, especially in industries like retail and hospitality where holiday eves are peak periods.
- Modernise the approach. A middle ground could involve flexible systems: rotating shifts, staggered departures, or even “time off in lieu” policies. This way, essential services continue without disruption, while staff still enjoy family time.
Such alternatives would keep the spirit of kindness alive without burdening the economy or fuelling perceptions of inequality.
Kindness That Unites
What was once a thoughtful gesture has, over time, become a costly indulgence. It represents millions of dollars in lost productivity and, more importantly, erodes public trust in the fairness of government practices.
The President’s call was unmistakable: no special treatment, inclusivity in all we do. If that vision is to move from rhetoric to reality, then traditions like the half-day work before holidays must be re-examined.
Kindness should not divide us into those who enjoy privileges and those who do not. True kindness, true inclusivity, must unite us all. Whether that means reforming, extending, or abolishing this practice, the time has come for Namibia to ask: is the Prime Minister’s Kindness still kind to everyone?
