National Council opens with call for stricter budget scrutiny

The National Council of Namibia has opened its first ordinary session of the Seventh National Council, with chairperson Lukas Sinimbo Muha calling for rigorous scrutiny of the national budget and stronger oversight to improve service delivery.The Windhoek sitting is scheduled to run for eleven days and will focus primarily on deliberations around the appropriation bill for the 2026/27 financial year.Muha also confirmed that the National Council is now fully operational following the establishment of all committees. He said the committees have already outlined their activity plans for the 2026/27 financial year.On the appropriation bill, Muha stressed its importance in funding government programmes.“The bill is central to funding the development and the operational programmes of government, and it is our duty to ensure that these resources are allocated transparently and directed towards the priority or priorities of our business in alignment with the National Development Plan,” he said.He urged members to carefully interrogate the budget to ensure it benefits citizens. “As members of the National Council, we must subject this bill to scrutiny to guarantee that public resources advance the objectives of improving the lives of our citizens,” he said.Calling for stronger accountability, Muha emphasised the importance of effective oversight. “Oversight must lead to better service, timely delivery of goods, and visible development outcomes," he said."The recommendations contained in our oversight report must not remain words on paper. Their timely implementation is essential to strengthen accountability and assist the executive in the fulfilment of its mandate,” he added.He further urged that oversight findings be translated into concrete action. “I therefore urge that oversight findings be followed by clear and actionable steps that are results-driven,” he said.

National Council opens with call for stricter budget scrutiny

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Namibian Sun 2026-05-07

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National Council opens with call for stricter budget scrutiny

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Namibian Sun 2026-05-07

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