Lawmakers back Omaheke uranium, criticise ‘slow’ ministries

The parliamentary standing committee on natural resources has sharply criticised key government ministries for what it describes as a four-year delay that has left a multibillion-dollar uranium investment in Omaheke in limbo, branding the continued inaction “unacceptable”.Chaired by Swapo MP Dr Tobie Aupindi, the committee has thrown its weight behind uranium exploration activities by Headspring Investments in partnership with Russian nuclear energy corporation Rosatom. It concluded that scientific evidence – not public rhetoric – should guide decision-making on the contentious project.In its report on uranium exploration in Omaheke, the committee accuses the agriculture ministry of applying a “generic, outdated policy designed for borehole drilling and water extraction” to a modern in-situ recovery (ISR) mining process, calling it a “profound and negligent misapplication of policy".The report says the ministry has effectively held the multibillion-dollar project “hostage” despite its potential to create jobs and generate revenue.The committee notes that current agriculture minister Inge Zaamwani was sworn in on 7 April 2025 and says the delays “did not happen on her watch".However, it adds that it looks to her “capable leadership to provide direction on this matter”.MPs further question whether the Water Resources Management Act is being interpreted in an “archaic” manner and warn that it is being “wielded as a blunt instrument of prohibition rather than a smart tool for regulated, scientific management". The ministries of mines and environment also come under fire, with the committee describing their “continued inaction … in the face of this bureaucratic intransigence” as unacceptable. It stresses that the two ministries are “the custodians of our mineral wealth and environmental integrity” and have a duty to provide “a clear, scientific and regulatory pathway” for such investments.Back Headspring–Rosatom project The committee says uranium exploration aligns with Namibia’s mainstream economic trajectory under the Sixth National Development Plan (NDP6). As part of its oversight work, members visited the exploration site, held meetings in Windhoek and Omaheke, and travelled to Moscow to engage Rosatom and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).It concludes that there has been “a lack of understanding created specifically to sabotage this uranium project”, adding that “the uranium is already there, as proven”. The report emphasises that the naturally high concentration of radionuclides in the Leonardville area has existed “for millions of years” and is “unavoidable”.According to MPs, the “clear and present danger” lies not in the existence of uranium, but in Namibia’s limited capacity to test and monitor radionuclides. The committee argues that the technological and scientific capabilities Rosatom would bring, including a laboratory to analyse the natural distribution of radionuclides along the orebody, represent “the only chance the country will have to be able to properly monitor” underground radionuclide levels and inform water management decisions.Critics have raised concerns about the proposed in-situ leaching method, which involves drilling boreholes, dissolving uranium underground and pumping the solution to the surface for processing.Opponents argue that the method could contaminate the Stampriet Transboundary Aquifer System, the country’s largest water basin, which extends into South Africa and Botswana.‘Science must lead the way’The committee maintains that ISR uranium mining, if properly planned and rigorously regulated, can be carried out safely with limited and short-lived environmental impacts. It calls for urgent decision-making to tackle unemployment and stimulate economic growth, stating that opposition to the project is “mostly not based on any specific scientific data”.The report stresses that “scientific evidence must lead the way over personal interests and general public rhetoric."Among its recommendations, the committee urges government to expedite outstanding scientific studies and finalise the water analysis report on radionuclides sampled under the Stampriet Transboundary Aquifer System programme. It also calls for the swift evaluation of the pilot environmental impact assessment for the environmental clearance certificate, with independent input from the IAEA.The report further recommends that, if necessary, the committee subpoena Headspring Investments and Rosatom for all nondisclosure agreements concluded with commercial farmers.Given that Rosatom is fully state-owned, MPs suggest that Namibia engage the Russian government on broader cooperation, including potential nuclear reactors for energy production and applications in nuclear medicine. They also insist that value addition and beneficiation must form part of the project to ensure job creation for Namibians.

Lawmakers back Omaheke uranium, criticise ‘slow’ ministries

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Namibian Sun 2026-03-04

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Lawmakers back Omaheke uranium, criticise ‘slow’ ministries

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Namibian Sun 2026-03-04

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