Namibia is 'consumed by corruption'

JEMIMA BEUKES WINDHOEKLandless People's Movement (LPM) member of parliament Henny Seibeb has told the National Assembly (NA) that Namibia is consumed by corruption which has made the country fertile ground for looting. It is also Seibeb's view that corruption emerges in a weak institutional environment, where formal institutions neither place restrictions on politicians' actions nor make them accountable to citizens. “It is a given that if corrupt officials are not dealt with in terms of existing laws and instruments, then state anti-corruption initiatives will never gain the legitimacy they need to succeed, nor facilitate development of an institutional culture within the civil service that challenges and exposes corruption,” he said. He said Namibia is a classic example of a resource-rich and corrupt state where resources are used for self-enrichment at the expense of development. “In terms of the provision of a welfare state, which is premised on redistribution of resources, rampant looting deprives the most vulnerable citizens of basic services such as access to drugs for medical purposes and to basic amenities. “Development involves economic growth, equitable distribution of resources, provision of healthcare, education, housing and other essential services. Corruption is a cause of concern because it diverts limited funds, undermines economic progress and impedes policy changes required for development,” he said. BurdenIn June this year, Ina Hengari, Namibia's youngest elected member of parliament, said in her maiden speech in the National Assembly that the cost of corruption is paid by ordinary people.She also advocates radical reform of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to give it teeth to prosecute high-profile cases and go after the “big fish”. According to her, it is the young people who cannot find jobs that pay for the rampant corruption in Namibia.jemima@namibiansun.com

Namibia is 'consumed by corruption'

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Namibian Sun 2025-04-29

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Namibia is 'consumed by corruption'

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Namibian Sun 2025-04-29

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