Justicia Shipena
Delays in the construction of the Swapo’s new headquarters have pushed the project cost beyond initial estimates, ballooning to over N$900 million.
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah confirmed the revised figure during the party’s 66th anniversary celebrations, which coincided with the official opening of the building.
“As it stands now, it is over N$900,” Nandi-Ndaitwah said, adding that the project was delayed by two years, moving it beyond the earlier estimate of between N$600 million and N$700 million.
The headquarters project has faced scrutiny over the years, especially on financing the project.
In 2023, contractor Unik Construction Engineering halted work after unpaid bills.
Reports at the time indicated that Swapo owed the company more than N$100 million.
The project was initially awarded in 2019 to Unik Construction Engineering at a cost of N$730 million. This was already significantly higher than a 2016 estimate of N$400 million.
Construction delays, including disruptions linked to the Covid-19 pandemic, extended the timeline and increased costs.
Kalahari Holdings chairperson Martin Inkumbi said the delays had a direct impact on the budget.
“The construction period of our headquarters was extended by an additional two years. That, of course, had a bearing on the overall cost of the project,” he said.
Reports also indicate that Swapo used one of its entities to secure a loan of between N$110 million and N$180 million to settle part of its debt to the contractor.
Despite this, it appears that the full amount owed was not settled at the time.
The project has remained largely opaque, with limited public disclosure on funding structures and expenditure details.
Criticism of the spending dates back to 2019, when former secretary general Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana warned that the scale of the project could become a burden for the party.
Nandi-Ndaitwah said the idea for the headquarters dates back to 1992, when founding president Sam Nujoma presented the concept to party leadership.
“In 1992, he brought to the leadership the plan of that building. We all committed to the construction of the headquarters,” she said.
She described the building as a long-term investment for the party.
“This building is therefore modern in infrastructure. It is a symbol of continuity and confidence in the future of our party,” she said.
The facility includes more than 150 offices, meeting rooms, a media centre, parking, retail space and a congress hall with capacity for 1 500 people.
“You can put up your research programmes and you can come and use the party headquarters here as long as you register it properly,” she said.
She said funding came from party companies and members.
“Our party companies, if they were not there, this work was going to be difficult,” she said.
She added that maintenance will now become a key focus.
“The real work starts now with the maintenance. We are not going to close that account,” she said.
“This is your own property. This is your own house… we must take care of it,” she said.
Swapo secretary general Sophia Shaningwa said the project reflects a vision developed over decades.
“They were the visionaries when this headquarters was dreamt about in independent Namibia,” she said, referring to Sam Nujoma and Moses Garoëb.
She noted that successive leaders, including former president Hage Geingob, carried the project forward, with construction commencing in June 2019.
“It was indeed during his tenure as president of the Swapo Party that the construction of this headquarters commenced,” she said.
She credited party companies and members for financing the project.
“The construction of our revolutionary home would not have been possible without Swapo Party companies and the loyal members of our organisation who contributed through their proceeds from their annual membership subscription fees and their 1% contribution,” she said.
She urged members to support the building’s upkeep and invited businesses to rent office space.
“We have enough space here. If you want to be a friend of Swapo Party, you are invited to come and talk to us for rent,” she said.
Inkumbi said party companies played a central role in financing the project.
“The primary objective of Kalahari Holdings and other Swapo Party companies is to generate revenue and help assist their shareholder, the Swapo Party, to finance various activities and projects, such as the construction of this new headquarters,” he said.
He said the company’s net asset value stood at N$760 million as of March 2026.
The construction has drawn public criticism, particularly due to its location opposite Katutura State Hospital, which faces ongoing infrastructure challenges.
The opening also follows a failed court application by Swapo to evict a group of former refugees who had set up a protest camp at the site last year. The party had argued that the camp delayed the building’s opening and caused financial losses.
