Allexer Namundjembo
A Swapo party candidate who recently publicly said she was “not a corrupt person” now finds herself entangled in a corruption scandal.
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Tuesday confirmed the arrest of former Omaruru mayor and current Swapo candidate for the Omaruru Constituency, Hendrina Magano Gebhardt.
She was charged for allegedly using her position in 2012 to secure a municipal job for her brother.
ACC’s interim spokesperson Marina Matundu said Gebhardt violated the Anti-Corruption Act of 2003 by instructing the then chief executive officer of the Omaruru municipality to appoint her brother.
“Our investigation established that Ms Gebhardt allegedly instructed and directed the chief executive officer of the municipality to appoint her brother, despite him not being the highest-scoring candidate,” Matundu said.
The ACC alleges that Gebhardt told the CEO, “We brought you here,” prior to the appointment of her brother, Samuel Gebhardt, as workshop foreman.
Her arrest came just days after a video resurfaced online showing her at a campaign event praising President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah for taking a firm stance against corruption when she fired former prime minister and minister of industries, mines and energy, Nantangue Ithete.
“I also mean business. I am not an easy person. I am not a corrupt person. It has never been one of my character,” said Gebhardt.
Gebhardt appeared in the Omaruru Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday and was granted bail of N$8 000.
Her case has been transferred to the Omaruru Regional Court, where she is expected to enter a plea on 4 December 2025.
Swapo has not commented on the matter and Gebhardt has yet to issue a public statement.
Meanwhile, Affirmative Repositioning (AR) leader and member of parliament Job Amupanda criticised the situation, saying it marks a troubling moment in the country’s political history.
“The corruption arrest of Swapo’s Omaruru mayor (former), who is also a candidate for the 26 November elections, means the following: firstly, since nominations are closed, and no change of candidates is allowed, it means for the first time in the history of Namibia, voters are forced to vote for a corruption-accused person who is actually in prison cells,” Amupanda said.
He warned that if voters decide to support Gebhardt, it could result in governance challenges and trigger another costly election.
Amupanda said the situation in Omaruru effectively places corruption itself at the centre of the ballot.
