Namibia is once again standing at a familiar and deeply uncomfortable crossroads. The renewed calls for Zambezi secession, now resurfacing in Katima Mulilo, should chill every Namibian who remembers the painful lessons of our past. We have been here before. We ignored the warning signs then, dismissed legitimate grievances as fringe agitation, and laughed off the danger until it erupted into a national crisis. To do so again would be reckless in the extreme.
Let us be clear from the outset: there is no credible evidence that the majority of Zambezi residents support secession. Analysts are correct in pointing out that these protests reflect unresolved socio-economic and political grievances rather than a mass desire to break away from the Namibian state. But history teaches us that it is precisely in such conditions, where people feel unheard, marginalised, and dismissed, that dangerous ideas take root and grow.
What is unfolding in Katima Mulilo should not be trivialised or treated as political theatre. A certain group in the Zambezi region is clearly unhappy with developments in the corridors of power, particularly within the Katima Mulilo Town Council. Allegations that changes in leadership and administration are being imposed without adequate consultation, and that appointments disproportionately favour one tribe while sidelining others, must not be brushed aside. Whether these claims are accurate or exaggerated is beside the point. Perception matters. And right now, the perception among some residents is that they are being victimised, excluded, and systematically ignored.
This is the danger zone.
Namibia’s painful experience with the Caprivi secession attempt should have permanently cured us of complacency. Back then, warning voices were dismissed as alarmist. Legitimate grievances were conflated with treason. Dialogue was replaced by denial. The result was violence, loss of life, deepened mistrust, and wounds that have still not fully healed decades later. To repeat that mistake would be unforgivable.
Government must resist the temptation to laugh this off as the noise of a disgruntled minority. It must avoid the reflexive response of labeling all dissent as anti-state agitation. Doing so only hardens positions, fuels resentment, and lends credibility to radical narratives that thrive on alienation. National unity is not preserved by silencing grievances; it is strengthened by confronting them honestly and decisively.
We therefore call on the government, without delay, to appoint an inclusive, independent task team to investigate the brewing discontent in the Zambezi region. This task team must not be symbolic window-dressing. It must be empowered, credible, and representative. It should include traditional leaders, civic organisations, youth representatives, women’s groups, local business voices, political parties, religious leaders, and independent governance experts. Crucially, it must involve all ethnic and social groups in the region, not just those deemed politically convenient.
The mandate of this task team should be clear: to get to the bottom of the grievances fuelling unrest in Katima Mulilo and beyond. Are town council appointments being handled transparently and fairly? Are allegations of tribal favouritism substantiated? Are local communities adequately consulted on governance changes that directly affect them? Are socio-economic disparities being addressed equitably? These are not dangerous questions. Avoiding them is what creates danger.
Sweeping this matter under the rug would be a profound miscalculation. Proverbially burying our heads in the sand may buy short-term political comfort, but it guarantees long-term instability. The most dangerous response of all would be dismissiveness, laughing off protests, mocking concerns, or assuming that state authority alone will keep the lid on. History, both here and across the continent, shows how catastrophically wrong that assumption can be.
National leaders must remember that unity is not synonymous with uniformity. Namibia’s strength lies in its diversity, but diversity must be actively managed through fairness, inclusion, and transparency. When communities begin to believe that power is distributed along tribal lines, the social contract fractures. Once trust in institutions erodes, rebuilding it becomes exponentially harder.
This is not a call for panic. It is a call for responsibility. Acting early, decisively, and inclusively is the hallmark of a confident and mature democracy. Appointing a task team to listen, investigate, and recommend corrective action would send a powerful signal that government takes all citizens seriously, regardless of region or ethnicity.
Time is not on our side. Every day of inaction allows resentment to fester and narratives of exclusion to harden. Namibia can ill afford another Caprivi-style saga, politically, socially, or morally. We owe it to the people of Zambezi, and to the nation as a whole, to act now.
The warning lights are flashing. We ignore them at our peril.
