The resignation of Namibia’s Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform, Mac-Albert Hengari, has been confirmed just 27 days after his appointment, following his arrest over serious criminal allegations.
The announcement was made by the Namibia Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) on Sunday, April 27, citing a statement from the Presidency’s Press Secretary, Alfredo Hengari. The former minister had been appointed on 22 March by President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah and has now become one of the few Namibian Cabinet members to step down under such circumstances.
The arrest of Hengari, alongside another individual said to be related to the alleged victim, was carried out on Saturday. According to the police, formal charges were expected to be filed on Sunday, with a court appearance scheduled for Monday. While the exact charges had not been publicly detailed at the time of reporting, the Police Inspector General, Lieutenant General Joseph Shikongo, stated that Hengari was under investigation for 11 charges, including kidnapping, rape, and assault. It was also reported that the arrest was triggered after Hengari had allegedly attempted to bribe a victim in order to suppress a case involving repeated sexual contact with a minor between 2019 and 2024.
The incident has drawn renewed attention to the accountability of public officials in Namibia. It was noted by NBC that this case follows previous high-profile resignations, including those of Sacky Shanghala and Bernhard Esau in 2019, who were implicated in the infamous “Fishrot” corruption scandal. Hengari’s resignation has been viewed by some as a rare example of ministerial accountability in the face of criminal investigation, though the case is likely to prompt broader questions about vetting procedures and the integrity of recent appointments.