Editorial: Charity must begin at the top

The auditor-general’s 2024 report exposes troubling irregularities in the Office of the President. At the centre is unauthorised expenditure of N$132 million – a staggering figure in any context – alongside the misuse of credit cards that reveals a worrying disregard for financial discipline.The audit details how N$93 180 was withdrawn for gratuities without signed proof, how US$5 000 issued on a Russia trip left US$1 000 (N$17 970) unaccounted for, and how N$24 227.56 was paid for accommodation without an invoice. More shocking still, during a Paris trip, the accommodation and meals of a non-government employee were charged to the presidency’s account, while a double payment of nearly N$1 million went through unchecked.These figures may seem small against the national budget, but what counts is doing the right thing – even accounting for a single Namibia dollar. If irregularities are tolerated at the top, how can government demand accountability from ministries, councils or state-owned enterprises?Charity must indeed begin at home. For Namibia, that home is the Presidency, which must lead by example in honesty, transparency and respect for every public cent.

Editorial: Charity must begin at the top

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Namibian Sun 2026-03-30

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Editorial: Charity must begin at the top

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Namibian Sun 2026-03-30

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