President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has called on Namibians to have confidence in her Cabinet, explaining that it was challenging to select ministers from a pool of qualified candidates.
The president publicly announced her Cabinet of 14 ministers at State House on Saturday, one day after being inaugurated as Namibia's fifth president.
In a surprise move, the president appointed mainly new faces to serve in her Cabinet for the next five years. She also reduced the number of ministers from 21 to 14.
The number of deputy ministers has been cut from 17 to seven.
Nandi-Ndaitwah selected Lucia Witbooi as her vice president and Elijah Ngurare as prime minister, with Natangwe Ithete being appointed as deputy prime minister.
The president also appointed veteran diplomat Selma Ashipala-Musavyi as the minister of international relations and trade.
She previously served as the executive director of international relations and cooperation and has been Namibia's ambassador to Ghana. Ashipala-Musavyi is deputised by Jenelly Matundu, who has been retained in her position.
Iithete, the deputy prime minister, will also oversee the newly merged Ministry of Industry, Mines and Energy, with Gaudentia Kröhne as deputy minister. The former executive director of finance, Erica Shafudah, is now the minister of finance and social grants management.
Frans Kapofi has been reappointed as minister of defence and veterans affairs, deputised by international relations academic Charles Mubita.
The Ministry of Health and Social Services is headed by Esperance Luvindao, a medical practitioner.
The former executive director of education, arts and culture, Sanet Steenkamp, is the new minister of the expanded Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sport, Arts and Culture. She is deputised by Dino Ballotti.
The Ministry of Environment and Tourism is headed by Indileni Daniel, while Emma Theofelus has retained her position as minister of information and communication technology.
Veikko Nekundi is the new minister of works and transport, having previously served as the deputy minister of the same ministry.
Former minister of youth, sport and national service Emma Kantema is the new minister of gender equality and child welfare, deputised by Linda Baloyi.
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The Ministry of Urban and Rural Development is headed by James Sankwasa, with Evelyn !Nawases-Taeyele as his deputy.
[2:33 pm, 23/03/2025] Karin Eloff: Wise Emmanuel is the new minister of justice and labour relations.
Former minister of industrialisation and trade Lucia Iipumbu is now the minister of home affairs, immigration, safety and security.
Mac-Albert Hengari will serve as the minister of agriculture, fisheries, water and land reform, with Ruth Masake as his deputy.
Nandi-Ndaitwah stated that she had some difficult choices to make, considering that Namibia has many committed and qualified individuals who are ready to work.
"For you now to choose from this is not easy, but I want to assure you that the team I am selecting will deliver what you have mandated us to do as the people of this country.
"You must assist me in giving this team a chance to do their work. What is important is not who is there for me, and it should not be who is there for you. You should wait for the service to be delivered. Then we will start to talk. They say don't judge a book by its cover. Read and understand," the president said before announcing her executive team.
She also merged some ministries, which she said is intended to eradicate duplication, cut costs, and ensure the smooth and effective implementation of government programmes. - Nampa
