Namibia: Opposition Accuses Swapo of 'Treasonous' Social Protection Budget

Opposition parties have criticised the 2026/27 national budget, demanding significant increases to social grants and pensions to protect Namibia's most vulnerable citizens from inflation.

National Unity Democratic Organisation (Nudo) member of parliament Vetaruhe Kandorozu last week in the National Assembly accused the Swapo-led government of making a U-turn on its promise to increase social grants.

He said this while making his contribution to the 2026/27 national budget, according to which the government will increase social grants with N$100.

Finance minister Ericah Shafudah allocated N$447 million for the N$100 pension grant increase.

Kandorozu said Namibia introduced the specific vulnerable children's grant in 2014 to support families in financial distress.

He said for the past 10 years, the grant remained N$350 while the inflation rate has increased exponentially since then.

"These are children without both parents, or with one parent only, or under foster parents who are unemployed.

Some of these parents have died in car accidents, during Covid-19, through domestic violence, or through other related incidents. These children are affected by the cost of living.

Having a social net is very important for our economy, because it is an economic lubricant on a daily basis. Therefore, it must not be left unattended," Kandorozu said.

He said the government should increase the N$350 to N$1 000 for vulnerable children.

Kandorozu urged Swapo to increase the pensioners' grant from N$1 600 to N$3 000, as promised during the party's election campaign.

"We can't make political statements to lure the vote of elders in exchange for promised amounts, and be unable to deliver on those promises while they have delivered you to parliament today. This is robbery and tantamount to treason you are committing as the ruling party. Please go back to the drawing board and think about it," he said.

Official opposition leader in parliament Imms Nashinge last week said the party has identified a N$9.3-billion budget. Of this, N$3.9 billion could be used to meet the N$3 000 pension grant promise.

The funds, he said, could be collected by decreasing politicians' salaries, "freezing the travel bonanza", and ending tourism workshops. among others.

Nashinge said N$2 billion could be spent on providing all Namibians with water.

"Namibia has enough resources to take care of all of us," he said.

Popular Democratic Movement president McHenry Venaani said many Namibians continue to struggle with access to affordable housing due to the limited availability of serviced land and slow land delivery systems.

He said the government must accelerate the process of opening access to land and supporting large-scale housing development.

Venaani believes housing development could become a major driver of employment, economic activity and urban development.

Defending the budget, Swapo parliamentarian Hilma Iita last week said the government continues to prioritise social protection, particularly for vulnerable members of society.

"Social grants, including the old-age pension, remain an essential tool in addressing poverty and inequality," she said.

Iita said the budget is investing in infrastructure and productive sectors, which remains essential for economic growth.

Social justice activist Rinaani Musutua yesterday said president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah last year made a promise to increase the old-age grant to N$3 000, adding that the N$100 increase signals empty promises.

"The president has not kept her promise of increasing the pensioners grant. It is such a pity that people preach 'business unusual', but still do not keep their promise. It's very disappointing," she said.

She said Namibians are exhausted by struggling to survive and trust in the government is running out.

Musutua said now is the right time for the Swapo government to expand the conditions for a basic grant to other towns and turn it into a basic universal income grant to all Namibians in need.

This article originally appeared on Namibian.