Period of ‘institutional repair’ underway at NYC

The National Youth Council of Namibia (NYC) operated for a period without audited financial records, annual reports or a guiding strategic plan, its interim executive chairperson Patience Masua has revealed.

Addressing affiliates at the 2026 NYC affiliate engagement in Windhoek on Tuesday, Masua said the interim leadership found an organisation lacking basic accountability systems necessary to measure performance and ensure transparency.

“We found a council where books are not audited. We found a council where there are no annual reports," Masua said.

"The books are embarrassing," she added.

"Because if compliance is something that we are pushing for as a board, it should be done across the board. Every single person must comply,” Masua stressed.

She said the absence of these key governance instruments meant the council had effectively been operating without a clear framework to track progress or align its work with national priorities. “Now what does that mean? When you do a strategic plan, every institution finds that a strategic plan is derived from a national development plan."

She added: “How do you measure whether an organisation is performing if you do not have annual reports?”

Restore governance

Masua said these shortcomings were not limited to the council’s leadership but also extended to some affiliate organisations.

“Some affiliates simply don’t bring reports, and you demand money for your next project,” she said.

“You are not entitled to monies if you cannot account for how monies previously were spent.”

The revelations come as the interim board, appointed six months ago, works to stabilise the council following a period of institutional instability.

Masua said the board had prioritised restoring governance and rebuilding the credibility of the council, including reviewing and adopting critical governance documents and re-establishing engagement with key stakeholders.

“This interim board assumed responsibility for the affairs of the council at a time when the institution required steady hands, principled leadership, and a commitment to restoring governance and stability,” she said.

“Over the past six months, the board has worked diligently to guide the council through a period of institutional repair, strengthening oversight, restoring critical governance processes, and ensuring that the council essentially returns to its core mandate.”

She said efforts were also underway to reposition the NYC within national policy discussions and re-open partnerships with international organisations, including the United Nations system. 

Despite the governance failures, Masua maintained that the council is entering a new phase focused on accountability, structured planning and improved support for youth organisations. “Our work as a board has been guided by a simple but firm conviction that the Namibia Youth Council must emerge from this transitional period stronger, more accountable, and better positioned to advance the interests of youth across our country,” she said.