Nandi-Ndaitwah appoints new Cabinet Ministers

Amid reductions of ministries from 21 to 14, and appointment of 14 ministers and 7deputy ministers

By Staff Reporter

NEW Namibian President, Dr. Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has appointed her new Cabinet ministers on Saturday, shortly after she was sworn-in as the first female president on Friday March 21.

The new Cabinet which is one of the three legs of the State, is called as the Executive branch of government which is well balanced by nine females and 9 males.

Article 35 of the Namibia Constitution dealing with Composition, as amended by the Namibian Constitution Third Amendment Act 8 of 2014, article 29(2A) (c), states that the Cabinet shall consist of the President, the Vice-President, the Prime Minister, Deputy-Prime Minister, and such other Ministers from the members of the National Assembly, including members nominated under Article 46(1)(b) hereof, for the purposes of administering and executing the functions of the Government.

President Nandi-Ndaitwah’s Cabinet for the next five years consist of the following:

TOP 3 –  Lucia Witbooi as Vice President, Dr Elijah Ngurare as Prime Minister and Natangwe Ithete as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry, Mines and Energy.

Honourable Witbooi previously served as Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security Deputy Minister.

Minister of  Information and Communication Technology Emma Theofelus and Defence and Veterans Affairs Minister,  Frans Kapofi have both returned their positions, while Dr Charles Mubita is the new Deputy Minister of Defence and Veterans Affairs.

The President also reduced the number of Ministers from 21 to 14, with only seven Deputy Ministers.

Other appointed Cabinet members include:

Former Minister of Industrialisation, Trade and SME Development, Lucia Iipumbu was appointed as the new Minister of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security.

Selma Ashipala-Musavyi , former Namibian Ambassador to Ghana and former Executive Director in the Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation  was appointed as Minister of the emerged Ministry of International Relations , Cooperation and Trade. She is deputised by Jenelly Matundu.

Ericah Shafudah as Minister of Finance and Social Grants Management; Dr Mac-Albert Hengari as Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform, deputised by Ruth Masake.

Former Executive Director of Education, Arts and Culture, Sanet Steenkamp was appointed as Minister of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sport, Arts and Culture, deputised by Dino Ballotti.

New Minister of Health and Social Services is Esperance Luvindao; Natangwe Ithete as Minister of Industry, Mines and Energy, deputised by Gaudentia Kröhne.

Indileni Daniel as Minister of Environment and Tourism; Dr Emma Kantema as Minister of Gender Equality and Child Welfare, deputised by Linda Mbwale; Veikko Nekundi as Minister of Works and Transport.

Former deputy minister of works and transport in 2015 – 2019, James Sankwasa was appointed as Minister of Urban and Rural Development, deputised by Eveline Nawases-Taeyele; and Fillemon Immanuel as Minister of Justice and Labour Relations.

Meanwhile, Ambassador Kaire Mbuende is the new Director General of the National Planning Commission, while Festus Mbandeka has been reappointed Attorney General.