Namibia’s political landscape was rocked over the weekend as Agriculture Minister Mac-Albert Hengari was dismissed following serious criminal allegations involving a teenage girl.
Hengari, 59, was arrested on Saturday, accused of raping a 16-year-old girl five years ago. The case took an even darker turn when police alleged that Hengari recently tried to bribe the now 21-year-old woman into dropping the charges. Despite his firm denial of any wrongdoing, the minister appeared in a Windhoek court on Monday and was denied bail. Prosecutors argued that he posed both a flight risk and a potential threat to witnesses.
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah’s office confirmed Hengari’s immediate dismissal from both the Cabinet and the National Assembly, though it did not detail the reasons behind the decision. Hengari had been a presidential appointee representing Namibia’s longtime ruling party, Swapo.
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Police say Hengari faces multiple charges beyond obstruction of justice, including rape, kidnapping, and assault. His next court appearance is scheduled for June 3.
The scandal represents the first major test for President Nandi-Ndaitwah, who only took office last month as Namibia’s first female head of state. Her Cabinet, praised for achieving a historic majority of women ministers, now faces scrutiny amid criticism from the opposition Independent Patriots for Change (IPC).
In a sharp statement, the IPC called Hengari’s arrest a “profound failure of leadership,” pointing to the case as evidence of systemic weaknesses in addressing gender-based violence. The party further questioned why Hengari had been appointed despite reports that a criminal investigation had been opened against him as early as November 2024.
Gender violence remains a pressing issue in Namibia, where over 4,800 cases were reported last year, according to official figures.
President Nandi-Ndaitwah, a Swapo stalwart who won the November election with 58% of the vote, now faces mounting pressure to rebuild trust in her administration and deliver on promises of reform and accountability.
