We write to you as the Windhoek Observer, and by extension on behalf of a concerned but hopeful Namibian public, to commend the Namibian Police Force for launching a national crime prevention operation scheduled to run from 30 January to 1 February across all 14 regions of our country.
At face value, this is a welcome and necessary intervention. More importantly, it is long overdue.
For far too long, crime has crept steadily into every corner of Namibian life, from our cities to our villages, from our homes to our places of work. What was once sporadic has become routine. What was once shocking has become normalised. Criminals have grown bolder, more organised and more brazen, while ordinary citizens have grown more anxious, more cautious and, in some cases, more resigned. Against this backdrop, a nationwide crime prevention operation is not just appropriate, it is essential.
Your personal leadership of this initiative sends an important signal. It suggests seriousness. It suggests urgency. It suggests that the gravity of the moment is understood at the highest level of the police command. That alone distinguishes this operation from many that have come before it.
However, Inspector General, while we commend the initiative, we must also speak candidly. Namibians have seen operations, roadblocks, crackdowns and campaigns before. Too often, they have come and gone with impressive launches, strong rhetoric and heavy visibility, only to fade quietly once the reporting period ends. The fear, which we voice openly and honestly, is that this operation could be perceived as another box-ticking exercise unless it demonstrably breaks from that pattern.
This moment demands something different.
Crime in Namibia is no longer timid. It no longer hides. Criminals no longer fear social shame, community reprisal or, in some cases, even law enforcement itself. Housebreakings occur in broad daylight. Armed robberies are executed with military-like precision. Gender-based violence continues to tear families apart. Drug trafficking, stock theft and violent crime have become entrenched threats rather than isolated incidents. This reality calls not for routine responses, but for bold, intelligent and sustained crime prevention ideas.
Namibia’s population is small. That is both our vulnerability and our strength. We do not have the luxury of losing citizens to violence, incarceration or fear at the scale seen in larger countries. Every life affected by crime leaves a disproportionate scar on our social fabric. Every young person drawn into criminality is a national loss. Our communities are too small, too interconnected and too precious to be ravaged by crime as though it were inevitable.
This is why this operation matters, not as an event, but as a signal of intent.
A genuine nationwide crime prevention initiative must go beyond high-visibility policing. It must disrupt criminal networks, not merely inconvenience them for a weekend. It must rely on intelligence, not just manpower. It must rebuild trust between communities and police officers, especially in areas where fear has replaced cooperation. And crucially, it must leave behind lasting systems, lessons and accountability once the operation officially ends.
We hope that the forthcoming media briefing in Windhoek will clearly articulate what makes this operation different. What new strategies are being deployed? How are regional realities being taken into account? How will success be measured, not in arrests alone, but in deterrence, prevention and community confidence? And perhaps most importantly, what happens after 1 February?
Leadership is not only about action, but about continuity.
Inspector General, this operation presents an opportunity to reset the national conversation on crime prevention. It offers a chance to demonstrate that the state is not reactive, but proactive; not overwhelmed, but resolute. Namibians want to feel that the law is present, capable and unafraid. They want to see criminals unsettled, not communities living in constant vigilance.
We recognise that policing is complex, under-resourced and often thankless. We also recognise that crime is a societal problem, not one the police can solve alone. But moments like this require clear direction from the top, and visible resolve throughout the ranks. If executed with sincerity, creativity and follow-through, this operation could mark the beginning of a more assertive and effective crime prevention posture nationwide.
We therefore commend you, cautiously but sincerely, and we urge you to ensure that this initiative rises to the level of the crisis it seeks to confront. Namibia does not need another headline. It needs results, confidence and safety restored.
The country is watching. More importantly, the criminals are watching too.
