Seven deputy ministers caught in three-job balancing act

Seven regional councillors who also serve in the National Council have to juggle constituency duties, parliamentary responsibilities and deputy ministerial portfolios, with government officials saying the arrangement requires new administrative systems to help the seven manage all three roles.

The issue was raised at the National Council’s third national and regional council consultative meeting in Otjiwarongo yesterday, where officials discussed the practical challenges created when elected representatives have responsibilities at constituency, regional, national and executive levels.

The seven were appointed by President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah on 2 April after being elected to the National Council in the 2025 Regional Councils and Local Authorities Elections.

They are Moses //Khumub, the Guinas constituency councillor in Oshikoto, who is deputy minister in the Office of the Vice-President, and Suzan Hambelela Ndjaleka, the !Nami≠Nüs councillor in ||Kharas, who is deputy minister of health and social services.

Hans Shayandjeka Haikali, the Etayi councillor in Omusati, is deputy minister of works and transport, while Anselm Nyangana Marungu, the Ndonga Linena councillor in Kavango East, is deputy minister of environment, forestry and tourism.

Wenzel Kavaka, the Otjombinde councillor in Omaheke, is deputy minister of information and communication technology. Edward Alfred Wambo, the Rehoboth Urban East councillor in Hardap, is deputy minister of home affairs, immigration, safety and security, and Inecia Theresia Brandt, the Dâures councillor in Erongo, is deputy minister of justice and labour relations.

The appointments immediately created changes in the National Council, with the seven removed from standing oversight committees because deputy ministers cannot serve on committees responsible for scrutinising the executive. National Council chairperson Lukas Muha said the appointees were nevertheless expected to balance their regional and national responsibilities.

By July, the question had moved from parliament to the constituencies, where residents gave mixed accounts of whether their councillors were still accessible after taking up deputy ministerial posts.

Wambo acknowledged that he was not always physically present in his constituency but said support staff remained available, while residents in several other constituencies said their councillors continued engaging communities.

Present with voters

At yesterday's meeting, National Council secretary Advocate Tousy Namiseb pressed the point, asking how the system could expect one person to stay available to a constituency while also carrying National Council and ministerial duties.

Namiseb said constituency councillors must face their communities directly when problems arise and be accessible even outside normal working hours.

He pointed to large constituencies such as Tsumkwe, where councillors may have to travel considerable distances, and asked why they cannot claim fuel, mileage or vehicle depreciation for travel within their own constituencies.

He also asked where a deputy minister who remains a constituency councillor and National Council member should be stationed.

“How do we empower a deputy minister who must ensure that the best roads in Africa are maintained, but at the same time this person must be in the constituency?” he said, arguing that the issue requires policy-level consideration.

Intricate arrangements

Executive director of public service management Tuyakula Haipinge said government introduced an administrative directive in May 2026 to provide operational guidelines for the concurrent responsibilities of the deputy ministers.

The directive covers personnel arrangements, daily subsistence allowances (DSA) and travel, official vehicles and leave records.

She said deputy ministers should have personal assistants and coordinated support between their ministries, the National Council, regional councils and constituency offices. She added that offices and tools of trade may need to be upgraded to accommodate the multiple duty stations.

The directive also sets out who pays for travel.

Ministries cover ministerial activities, while no DSA is paid to the deputy minister when travelling to their constituency, although the driver and bodyguard can claim. Regional councils cover DSA when deputy ministers attend regional programmes outside their constituencies, while National Council sessions do not attract DSA.

Chief regional officer of the Ohangwena Regional Council, Fillipus Shilongo, described the arrangement as a “complex system”, saying councillors who become management committee members, National Council members, chairpersons or deputy ministers acquire additional responsibilities without losing their constituency obligations.

He pointed out that officials must manage competing voices from constituencies, regional councils, the National Council and ministries while remaining accountable to the electorate and their respective institutions.

Public Office Bearers Commission chairperson Milka Mungunda said the commission only became aware of the May directive at the consultative meeting.

Mungunda said the commission would now consult on how the directive could be incorporated into its regulatory framework.

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