President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah’s commissioning of the national task forces on economic recovery, health, and housing & land marks one of the clearest early signals of the 8th Administration’s intention to break from business-as-usual governance. The speech delivered was measured, sober, and deliberately forward-looking. It struck the necessary chords of unity, urgency, and institutional alignment. Yet, as with any initiative built on lofty ambition, the real test lies not in the unveiling but in the doing.
The President’s framing of Namibia’s current challenges – rising living costs, constrained job creation, underperforming service delivery, a strained health system, and the persistent burdens of land and housing – was accurate and refreshingly unembellished. There was no attempt to downplay the gravity of Namibia’s socioeconomic landscape. In that sense, the speech succeeded in acknowledging the public’s lived reality.
Her emphasis on dismantling silos and fostering a culture of collective problem-solving sits well within the contemporary governance ethos. Government, business, labour, communities, civil society, academia, and faith leaders meeting “on equal footing” is a principle long overdue in Namibia’s public planning processes. The Namibia Public Private Forum, positioned as the philosophical backbone of these new task forces, is presented as a turning point, a space for frank engagement rather than ceremonial consultation.
But while the President confidently assures that the Forum is not “another meeting”, Namibians have learnt, sometimes painfully, that our political lexicon has too often valued form over function. Task forces, committees, commissions and summits have come and gone, many with strikingly similar mandates. The nation will therefore greet these new task forces with guarded optimism, not cynicism, because the need is undeniable, but so is the history.
The President’s attempt to situate the task forces within continuity rather than rupture is also notable. By affirming that this is not about “criticising what came before”, she avoids the political temptation to cast predecessors as failures. Instead, she frames the task forces as accelerators within the NDP6 roadmap. This approach is both politically prudent and institutionally healthy. The work of development is cumulative; the President was right to acknowledge that each administration inherits both achievements and unfinished business.
Still, the speech missed an opportunity to offer even preliminary timelines or performance expectations. Namibians have grown weary of unfocused consultative processes that drift without measurable outcomes. Without even broad benchmarks, such as when initial recommendations might be due or when implementation strategies will be presented, the commissioning risks appearing more symbolic than operational.
On economic recovery: A mandate too broad?
The President’s articulation of the Economic Recovery Task Force’s mission – unlock growth, strengthen investment, support innovation, and expand youth opportunities – reads like a national wish list. While all of these are essential objectives, they are exceptionally broad. Referencing the post-COVID-19 recovery document may offer historical grounding, but the economic landscape of 2025 bears new sources of strain and new opportunities. There is little clarity, at least from the speech, on whether this task force will be given the authority to address structural issues such as public procurement inefficiencies, SOE reform, regulatory redundancies, or investor-confidence roadblocks. Without such clarity, the task force risks diagnosing problems already well known and offering solutions long discussed.
On health: A return to an old report
The directive that the 2013 health sector report commissioned by former President Hifikepunye Pohamba should serve as the “most crucial reference document” raises both promise and concern. The Pohamba-era assessment was indeed thorough and remains relevant; many of its recommendations were never fully operationalised. However, the health system of 2025 is grappling with new realities, post-pandemic system fatigue, workforce shortages, rising mental health burdens, and the pressures of non-communicable diseases. A 12-year-old report must be a reference point, not an anchor. The speech would have benefitted from acknowledging the need for a fresh diagnostic that reflects today’s needs, not yesterday’s context.
On housing and land: The nation’s most pressing social fault line
Among the three task forces, the Housing & Land Task Force carries the heaviest emotional and social weight. The President was correct to describe it as “one of our most urgent social obligations.” Namibia’s housing crisis is not merely a policy failure; it is a driver of inequality, indignity and urban vulnerability. Yet the speech offers little insight into how this task force will confront entrenched structural issues, servicing costs, urban planning bottlenecks, municipal capacity deficits, and speculative land pricing. The absence of reference to informal settlement upgrading, rental regulation, or alternative land models is notable. Namibians need assurance that this task force is not another brick laid on the long road of delayed housing delivery.
A speech of good faith, but action must follow
The President’s closing appeal, “Together we will shape a future where every Namibian has the opportunity to thrive”, is aspirational and sincere. Her acknowledgement of the voluntary contributions of task force members is welcome and sets a tone of shared national responsibility.
But Namibians are no longer content with inspirational rhetoric. The public wants to see coordination that cuts through bureaucratic inertia, recommendations that translate into budgets, and political will that withstands discomfort. The task forces must not become intellectual showpieces; they must become engines of implementation.
In commissioning these bodies, the President has laid down a promising foundation. Whether this becomes a real turning point depends not on the symbolism of the moment, but on the courage, clarity, and urgency that follow it.
