By Ebi Kesiena
President Netumbo Ndemupelila has reaffirmed her administration’s commitment to a more inclusive, responsive, and people-centred government, adding that governance must empower the majority.
As per empowerment, she said her administration will pay particular attention to the plight of youth and women, emphasising that no empowerment agenda is complete without targeted investments in education, skills development, health care, and entrepreneurship for these groups.
While addressing civil servants on Friday, President Netumbo Ndemupelila reaffirmed that her government’s central mission is to empower the majority, stressing that those in leadership, though representing a minority, must champion this agenda as the cornerstone of a renewed and inclusive era of governance in Namibia.
Her speech, delivered before a packed hall of senior government officials, public sector employees, union representatives, and youth delegates, centred on the role of civil servants in bridging the gap between government and citizens, especially those who have been historically marginalised.
She urged the public service to embrace a new mindset, one that puts the people first and views empowerment not as a privilege but as a foundational right.
“The ministers, directors, executive directors, empowering the majority is the best way to solve the problems we are faced with as a country,” President Netumbo said.
The President noted that while much progress had been made since independence, inequality and poverty still persist in many parts of the country. She emphasised that the real test of government success lies in how it transforms the lives of the majority, rural communities, informal workers, women, youth, and persons with disabilities, who often remain on the fringes of opportunity.
“We must stop governing for the few and start delivering for the many. Our policies, budgets, and services must reflect the heartbeat of the nation, not just the headlines or statistics, but the lived realities of ordinary people,” she said.
President Netumbo laid out a comprehensive vision for civil service reform that prioritises integrity, efficiency, and accountability. She called on ministries and departments to remove bureaucratic bottlenecks that slow down service delivery and to invest in the digital transformation of public services to reach remote and underserved populations.
The President also challenged traditional notions of policy-making that ignore the voices of those at the grassroots level. She announced new initiatives to institutionalise citizen feedback in policy design, ensure participatory budgeting at the regional level, and strengthen partnerships with civil society organisations to reach the most vulnerable.
