Kunene deports 401 illegal immigrants

Kunene governor Vipuakuje Muharukua has sounded the alarm over rising illegal immigration in the region, revealing that 411 undocumented immigrants were arrested during the year under review, with 401 deported.

Delivering the State of the Region Address this week, Muharukua said the growing influx of undocumented migrants places increasing pressure on border control and local communities.

“Opuwo today increasingly looks like a border town and Outjo today increasingly looks like Opuwo,” the governor said.

Of the 411 undocumented immigrants arrested, 18 were formally charged and prosecuted, while the majority were deported.

Muharukua warned that while migration often follows economic opportunity, it must happen “within the confines of the laws of the receiving state. It is imperative that all those who are within the borders of Namibia should be documented, recorded and accounted for."

The governor linked the trend to the absence of officially gazetted border posts between Kunene and neighbouring Angola, describing the lack of formal crossings as a long-standing catalyst for illegal movement.

Formalise border crossings

He said government has already approved border points at Onungurura and Otjimuhaka, but implementation remains pending. The region’s rising population growth has added another layer of pressure. Kunene’s average population growth now stands at 2.7%, above the national average of 1.95%, with Opuwo Urban recording the highest growth rate at 5.3%.

Immigration has contributed to this increase, Muharukua said.

“The net immigration is a factor in our population growth,” he said. He also raised concerns over the broader implications of undocumented migration, linking it to crimes such as livestock theft, borehole pump theft and arson affecting farming communities.

“The governor’s office remains open to support ideas that will assist us in ensuring we account for every person walking on our soil in Kunene region,” he said.

Meanwhile, the home affairs ministry processed 2 102 passports, visas, permits and citizenship applications in Kunene during 2025 and 2026, generating N$332 500 in revenue.

Muharukua said tighter documentation and stronger border management would be a major focus for the year ahead as the region pushes towards Vision 2030.