MWE Correspondent
Namibia’s government has been rocked by a major political scandal following the dismissal of Mac-Albert Hengari from both cabinet and parliament amid serious criminal allegations, including rape, kidnapping, and attempted bribery.
The case marks the first major crisis under newly elected President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah.
Hengari, 59, was arrested on Saturday after allegedly attempting to bribe a 21-year-old woman to withdraw a rape complaint against him. Despite maintaining his innocence, he was denied bail by a magistrates’ court in Windhoek on Monday and will remain in custody alongside a co-accused until their next court appearance scheduled for June 3.
Police say Hengari is under investigation for a range of grave offences, including rape, kidnapping, assault, and obstruction of justice. The court denied his bail application, citing concerns that he may flee or interfere with witnesses.
The presidency confirmed Hengari’s immediate dismissal from both the cabinet and the National Assembly but did not specify the reasons. Hengari had been appointed to parliament by President Nandi-Ndaitwah as a representative of the ruling Swapo party.
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Opposition lawmakers, particularly from the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC), strongly criticized Hengari’s appointment, calling it “a profound failure of leadership.” They also claimed that an investigation into the former minister had been ongoing since November 2024. In a statement, the IPC said the arrest revealed “the hollowness of government rhetoric on gender-based violence.”
Namibia continues to grapple with high levels of gender-based violence. Police recorded 4,814 cases last year in a country with a population of just over three million—figures that have prompted widespread concern from civil society groups.
President Nandi-Ndaitwah, 72, who was inaugurated last month as Namibia’s first female head of state, has received praise for assembling a cabinet dominated by women, including appointing a female vice-president. Her decisive election win in November, in which she garnered 58% of the vote, was hailed as a landmark for gender representation in Namibian politics.
