The endless street-renaming exercise: A call for real transformation in Windhoek
On 21 October, Namibian Sun reported yet another activity by the City of Windhoek – the ongoing “renaming of streets and facilities”, yet again in honour of national heroes.
The idea behind this exercise is noble: to recognise Namibians who have made notable contributions to the nation’s heritage and development. However, what began as a symbolic act of recognition has now become an endless, retrogressive exercise with little to no tangible impact on residents’ lives.
Let us revisit how and why this practice began. Following independence in 1990, Namibia’s leadership had the responsibility of transforming colonial structures and institutions. Naturally, some reform was necessary to reflect our new identity and sovereignty. Changing certain major street names made sense at the time, as it was a symbolic break from colonial domination and an effort to affirm a national identity.
History shows that while street-naming practices go back to the city’s early days, large-scale politically motivated renaming took place post-independence, most notably during a major ceremony in November 2019. This wave of renaming sought to remove colonial and apartheid-era names and replace them with those of national figures or indigenous language names.
But the question remains, how long must we continue down this path? What real impact has this exercise had thus far on the lives of Windhoek’s residents?
While I understand the rationale of our founding leaders and the earlier councillors who initiated this practice, it is difficult to comprehend why, in a modern, technologically advanced Namibia, the new generation of councillors continues to recycle this retrogressive narrative.
It is concerning that they seem to believe these symbolic gestures amount to meaningful change.
In my view, this fixation on renaming reflects a deeper intellectual and strategic void in councillors and the City's inability to advise predominately unlearned councillors. It further exposes a lack of cognitive depth, innovation and understanding of Namibia’s broader developmental agenda and, lastly, highlights an absence of a coherent political philosophy to drive urban transformation.
We must ask ourselves: Who are we? What do we want? For whom, when, and how do we plan to achieve tangible impact in the lives of our citizens? When we assess all the names that have been changed so far, what has actually transformed in the socio-economic lives of ordinary citizens?
Street names are not food
Personally, as a resident of Windhoek, I am exhausted by these repetitive and non-transformational activities that offer no improvement in people’s daily realities. People cannot eat street names.
The City Council should instead focus on tangible and innovative strategies that reflect the spirit of our national reconciliation and inclusiveness as is stipulated in our Constitution for equitable development.
Erasing history from public spaces does not help our children understand where we come from. Instead of constantly replacing names, the Council could develop new suburbs and incorporate historical narratives into their design whilst creating a living balance between past and present.
Perhaps the City should begin by channelling these efforts into renovating public libraries, sponsoring research and publications about our unsung heroes, or investing in initiatives that preserve history in a meaningful way? It is disappointing that a younger generation of councillors cannot think creatively enough to make Windhoek inclusive and forward-looking.
As a descendant of a liberation struggle veteran, someone deserving of recognition in many ways, I would much rather see the Council focus on transforming Windhoek into the metropolitan city (Metro) it aspires to be. Priorities should include developing a smart city, providing affordable and reliable internet access, and reducing exorbitant municipal rates and taxes that suffocate residents.
Focus on genuine needs
Most of us live in Windhoek primarily for work, yet we find ourselves working only to pay for the City’s expensive services. The City of Windhoek operates on a billion-dollar budget, but the bulk of that money goes to salaries and operational costs, leaving little for real development. If only the Council could shift from self-serving practices and redirect those funds toward genuine urban growth, perhaps I would not be writing this article today.
As I have consistently argued, the City must abandon the habit of renaming streets... an approach that I see as largely retrogressive both in principle and in practice. Removing the names of former oppressors does not improve Namibia’s current economic reality.
Finally, the fact that the City of Windhoek continues to sell land to the highest bidder, rather than developing and servicing it in partnership with institutions like the NHE, reflects a troubling pattern of inequality. It underscores a widening socio-economic gap and raises questions about inclusivity and justice in urban development. At times, it feels as though the City exists primarily to serve itself (staff) and the urban elite, while the rest of us are left to shoulder the weight of their economic arrogance.
As President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah once said: “We are too few to be poor.” Perhaps it is time we ask ourselves which institutions perpetuate this ongoing impoverishment and how we must reform them. That is where our real focus should be.
Benitha Nakaambo has been a resident of Windhoek since 1990.
The idea behind this exercise is noble: to recognise Namibians who have made notable contributions to the nation’s heritage and development. However, what began as a symbolic act of recognition has now become an endless, retrogressive exercise with little to no tangible impact on residents’ lives.
Let us revisit how and why this practice began. Following independence in 1990, Namibia’s leadership had the responsibility of transforming colonial structures and institutions. Naturally, some reform was necessary to reflect our new identity and sovereignty. Changing certain major street names made sense at the time, as it was a symbolic break from colonial domination and an effort to affirm a national identity.
History shows that while street-naming practices go back to the city’s early days, large-scale politically motivated renaming took place post-independence, most notably during a major ceremony in November 2019. This wave of renaming sought to remove colonial and apartheid-era names and replace them with those of national figures or indigenous language names.
But the question remains, how long must we continue down this path? What real impact has this exercise had thus far on the lives of Windhoek’s residents?
While I understand the rationale of our founding leaders and the earlier councillors who initiated this practice, it is difficult to comprehend why, in a modern, technologically advanced Namibia, the new generation of councillors continues to recycle this retrogressive narrative.
It is concerning that they seem to believe these symbolic gestures amount to meaningful change.
In my view, this fixation on renaming reflects a deeper intellectual and strategic void in councillors and the City's inability to advise predominately unlearned councillors. It further exposes a lack of cognitive depth, innovation and understanding of Namibia’s broader developmental agenda and, lastly, highlights an absence of a coherent political philosophy to drive urban transformation.
We must ask ourselves: Who are we? What do we want? For whom, when, and how do we plan to achieve tangible impact in the lives of our citizens? When we assess all the names that have been changed so far, what has actually transformed in the socio-economic lives of ordinary citizens?
Street names are not food
Personally, as a resident of Windhoek, I am exhausted by these repetitive and non-transformational activities that offer no improvement in people’s daily realities. People cannot eat street names.
The City Council should instead focus on tangible and innovative strategies that reflect the spirit of our national reconciliation and inclusiveness as is stipulated in our Constitution for equitable development.
Erasing history from public spaces does not help our children understand where we come from. Instead of constantly replacing names, the Council could develop new suburbs and incorporate historical narratives into their design whilst creating a living balance between past and present.
Perhaps the City should begin by channelling these efforts into renovating public libraries, sponsoring research and publications about our unsung heroes, or investing in initiatives that preserve history in a meaningful way? It is disappointing that a younger generation of councillors cannot think creatively enough to make Windhoek inclusive and forward-looking.
As a descendant of a liberation struggle veteran, someone deserving of recognition in many ways, I would much rather see the Council focus on transforming Windhoek into the metropolitan city (Metro) it aspires to be. Priorities should include developing a smart city, providing affordable and reliable internet access, and reducing exorbitant municipal rates and taxes that suffocate residents.
Focus on genuine needs
Most of us live in Windhoek primarily for work, yet we find ourselves working only to pay for the City’s expensive services. The City of Windhoek operates on a billion-dollar budget, but the bulk of that money goes to salaries and operational costs, leaving little for real development. If only the Council could shift from self-serving practices and redirect those funds toward genuine urban growth, perhaps I would not be writing this article today.
As I have consistently argued, the City must abandon the habit of renaming streets... an approach that I see as largely retrogressive both in principle and in practice. Removing the names of former oppressors does not improve Namibia’s current economic reality.
Finally, the fact that the City of Windhoek continues to sell land to the highest bidder, rather than developing and servicing it in partnership with institutions like the NHE, reflects a troubling pattern of inequality. It underscores a widening socio-economic gap and raises questions about inclusivity and justice in urban development. At times, it feels as though the City exists primarily to serve itself (staff) and the urban elite, while the rest of us are left to shoulder the weight of their economic arrogance.
As President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah once said: “We are too few to be poor.” Perhaps it is time we ask ourselves which institutions perpetuate this ongoing impoverishment and how we must reform them. That is where our real focus should be.
Benitha Nakaambo has been a resident of Windhoek since 1990.
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