- Namibia's Agriculture Minister Mac-Albert Hengari dismissed and arrested on charges of raping a 16-year-old girl five years ago
- Hengari denied bail after attempting to bribe the victim and is considered a flight risk
- Scandal sparks criticism from opposition, raising questions about government's vetting processes and political judgment
Namibia's Agriculture Minister Mac-Albert Hengari has been dismissed after being arrested on charges of raping a 16-year-old girl five years ago. This is the first major political scandal of the new government of President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah.
Namibia’s President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah dismissed Agriculture Minister Mac-Albert Hengari following serious criminal allegations, marking her first major political scandal.
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Hengari, 59, was arrested on Saturday after, according to police reports, he attempted to bribe the victim, now 21, to drop the complaint. He appeared before a Windhoek Magistrates' Court on Monday, where he was denied bail. Authorities expressed concerns that he was a flight risk or might attempt to influence witnesses.
The President's Office announced Hengari's immediate dismissal in a statement, without elaborating on the reasons. He was also removed from his position as a member of the National Assembly, for which he had been nominated by the ruling Swapo party.
Hengari, who denies any wrongdoing, faces multiple charges, including kidnapping, rape, assault, and obstruction of justice. His next court appearance is scheduled for June 3.
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The arrest and dismissal sparked fierce criticism. The opposition Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) party called the situation "a serious failure of leadership." The opposition party highlighted the incumbent government's apparent contradiction by appointing Hengari "despite an investigation reportedly being initiated in November 2024."
The IPC also drew attention to the wider gender-based violence crisis in Namibia, citing 4,814 reported cases last year in a country of just over three million people.
Minister Mac-Albert Hengari's Scandal A Setback for President Nandi-Ndaitwah’s Cabinet
Namibia’s President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, the country’s first female head of state, faces her first major political challenge following the dismissal of her agriculture minister.
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The scandal comes at a sensitive time for President Nandi-Ndaitwah, who only took office last month after winning the November elections with 58% of the vote.
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Her new cabinet was hailed for its historic representation of women; nine of 14 ministers, including the vice president, were women.
Nandi-Ndaitwah, 7, had positioned her government as a champion of gender equality and integrity, setting high expectations for leadership accountability. However, Hengari's case now threatens to overshadow those early efforts and raises questions about her young administration's vetting processes and political judgment.
