Budget cuts will deepen hardship, AR warns

Affirmative Repositioning (AR) MP George Kambala has warned that proposed budget cuts under the 2026/27 Appropriation Amendment Bill could threaten development projects, put contractors under financial pressure and disrupt essential public services.He argued that a blanket 2% reduction across government votes would worsen existing delays without addressing the country’s underlying economic challenges.Kambala said cutting expenditure across all government votes without considering the circumstances of individual programmes could have far-reaching consequences for communities that depend on public infrastructure and government services.Development execution stood at 42% at mid-year, raising questions about the government’s ability to implement planned projects within the financial year.“Cuts can leave contractors unpaid, workers without salaries and communities without much-needed services,” Kambala said.Funding priorities questionedAccording to figures presented during the debate, government offices had requested more than N$13 billion in additional funding, while the amendment provides N$700 million.Kambala acknowledged that the government could not meet every funding request, but argued that spending decisions should be guided by clear priorities, with careful consideration of which programmes should receive funding, which could be reduced and which should be protected.“The question, however, is not simply how much we can afford, but how intelligently we choose what to fund, what to cut, and what to protect,” he said.He maintained that a uniform reduction in expenditure would not address the underlying weaknesses in public finances.Debt burden adds pressureThe debate also highlighted the country’s growing debt-servicing burden. Kambala cited approximately N$15 billion in interest payments, arguing that the cost of borrowing was becoming a development challenge in its own right.The debate forms part of Parliament’s consideration of the 2026/27 Appropriation Amendment Bill, which provides for an appropriation of N$88.6 billion.Kambala urged parliament to scrutinise the proposed spending carefully, arguing that the success of the budget should not be measured only by whether the figures balance on paper, but also by whether public expenditure translates into employment, economic opportunities and improved services.

Budget cuts will deepen hardship, AR warns

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Namibian Sun 2026-11-02

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Budget cuts will deepen hardship, AR warns

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Namibian Sun 2026-11-02

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