'Smoke and mirrors': LPM accuses govt of misleading housing figures
The Landless People’s Movement (LPM) has accused government of misleading the public about the country’s housing achievements, claiming that the figures presented in the recent midterm budget review are exaggerated and “divorced from reality”.
LPM president Bernadus Swartbooi made the remarks on Monday during a press conference at the party’s headquarters, where he and senior party officials dissected government’s 'Beyond 35 for a Prosperous Future' midterm budget review.
Swartbooi took aim at former finance minister Ipumbu Shiimi’s claim that more than 2 160 houses have been constructed across 14 regions through the Shack Dwellers Federation, saying the numbers were “grossly overstated”.
“We just spoke to the mayor of Swakopmund before this press conference, and the man was furious,” Swartbooi said. “At best, perhaps 50 houses, anything between 25 and 50, have been built by what he calls the Shack Dwellers Association. That is far worse than even the old Build Together programme.”
‘Smoke and mirrors’
Swartbooi added that the housing figures “do not match reality anywhere in the country”.
“When you divide 2 160 houses across 14 regions, it comes to an average of 154 per region. But those numbers simply don’t exist,” he alleged. “Where does the governor of Khomas promise the 5 000 houses? Not even 500, not even 50. Where is he?”
Swartbooi accused the ruling Swapo-led government of “recycling promises” about eradicating informal settlements by 2029. “It’s all smoke and mirrors,” he said.
“This government measures success by counting shacks instead of homes and takes credit for projects actually driven by local authorities," he fumed.
Budget 'not a foundation for prosperity'
The LPM leader also dismissed the midterm budget as lacking the ambition and substance to deliver meaningful change.
“This is not a foundation for a prosperous Namibia,” he said. “It is a continuation of corruption, incompetence and business as usual. Nothing is unusual about this government except the scale of its failure.”
He also condemned what he described as government’s “habit of making promises it cannot keep”, particularly regarding free education and job creation.
“They promised half a million jobs, then cut it to 250 000, and now there are no jobs at all except in the police and the army,” he argued. “Even graduates, engineers, teachers and lawyers are being pushed into military recruitment just to survive," he said.
Diluted promises
On education, Swartbooi said government’s pledge of free tertiary education by 2026 had been diluted into a commitment to cover only registration fees, representing roughly 10% of students’ annual costs.
“They fooled young people,” he said. “Free education has become free registration, maybe in 2027. There is no plan, no readiness and no sincerity.”
Swartbooi subsequently launched a stinging attack on President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, claiming she “does not trust her own party” after appointing several non-elected individuals to ministerial posts.
“If we listen carefully to her political communication, it’s clear she doesn’t trust Swapo,” he claimed. “Otherwise, why appoint eight unelected people to run the affairs of the state?”
Swartbooi said the alleged lack of trust within the ruling party reflected “a deeper governance crisis” and was further proof that “the Swapo system has reached the end of its political imagination”.
LPM president Bernadus Swartbooi made the remarks on Monday during a press conference at the party’s headquarters, where he and senior party officials dissected government’s 'Beyond 35 for a Prosperous Future' midterm budget review.
Swartbooi took aim at former finance minister Ipumbu Shiimi’s claim that more than 2 160 houses have been constructed across 14 regions through the Shack Dwellers Federation, saying the numbers were “grossly overstated”.
“We just spoke to the mayor of Swakopmund before this press conference, and the man was furious,” Swartbooi said. “At best, perhaps 50 houses, anything between 25 and 50, have been built by what he calls the Shack Dwellers Association. That is far worse than even the old Build Together programme.”
‘Smoke and mirrors’
Swartbooi added that the housing figures “do not match reality anywhere in the country”.
“When you divide 2 160 houses across 14 regions, it comes to an average of 154 per region. But those numbers simply don’t exist,” he alleged. “Where does the governor of Khomas promise the 5 000 houses? Not even 500, not even 50. Where is he?”
Swartbooi accused the ruling Swapo-led government of “recycling promises” about eradicating informal settlements by 2029. “It’s all smoke and mirrors,” he said.
“This government measures success by counting shacks instead of homes and takes credit for projects actually driven by local authorities," he fumed.
Budget 'not a foundation for prosperity'
The LPM leader also dismissed the midterm budget as lacking the ambition and substance to deliver meaningful change.
“This is not a foundation for a prosperous Namibia,” he said. “It is a continuation of corruption, incompetence and business as usual. Nothing is unusual about this government except the scale of its failure.”
He also condemned what he described as government’s “habit of making promises it cannot keep”, particularly regarding free education and job creation.
“They promised half a million jobs, then cut it to 250 000, and now there are no jobs at all except in the police and the army,” he argued. “Even graduates, engineers, teachers and lawyers are being pushed into military recruitment just to survive," he said.
Diluted promises
On education, Swartbooi said government’s pledge of free tertiary education by 2026 had been diluted into a commitment to cover only registration fees, representing roughly 10% of students’ annual costs.
“They fooled young people,” he said. “Free education has become free registration, maybe in 2027. There is no plan, no readiness and no sincerity.”
Swartbooi subsequently launched a stinging attack on President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, claiming she “does not trust her own party” after appointing several non-elected individuals to ministerial posts.
“If we listen carefully to her political communication, it’s clear she doesn’t trust Swapo,” he claimed. “Otherwise, why appoint eight unelected people to run the affairs of the state?”
Swartbooi said the alleged lack of trust within the ruling party reflected “a deeper governance crisis” and was further proof that “the Swapo system has reached the end of its political imagination”.
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