By Koviao Matuzee
Politicians have expressed concern over the Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sport, Arts and Culture’s (MEIYSAC) decision to suspend financial support requests from sports federations and umbrella bodies due to financial constraints.
However, transport requests will still be considered, provided the requesting sports body covers the driver’s related costs.
The decision has been described as a major blow to Namibian sport, which has operated on limited funding for years despite the country’s vast natural resources.
The announcement was made in a press statement issued earlier this month by MEIYSAC’s executive director, Gerard Vries.
Sports bodies will now have to seek alternative funding, particularly from the corporate sector, or risk athletes and national teams missing regional, continental and world championship competitions.
Confidente this week spoke to opposition political leaders to get their views on the decision, its impact on Namibian sport and possible solutions.
Abednego “Bishop” Hishoono of the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC), the country’s official opposition, questioned the ministry’s decision only months after Parliament approved the national budget for the 2026/27 financial year.
He said the IPC rejects the decision and will continue fighting for justice for sports, accusing the Swapo-led government of failing to honour its 2024 election promises on sport.
“My take is that it is wrong for an administrative directive to overrule legislative appropriations without a tangible reason. We debated the budget until the middle of the night to ensure funds were appropriated for Vote 27, yet those appropriations were halted by a mere administrative directive. That is a disregard for the second-highest house.
“I am not surprised. The Swapo administration has been making empty promises for years. We have not accepted the decision. That is why I stood up in Parliament as an elected IPC member to ask why the funding was halted, what the solution is during this period, and how long the suspension will last.
“They said there are financial constraints. What does that even mean? The allocation to sport was N$19.1 million. What happened to it? Was it diverted, lost or what?
The Swapo manifesto for the 2024 elections promised to prioritise sport.
The President also emphasised sport and promised 33,000-seat stadiums in regional capitals. But who will play in those stadiums if sports bodies responsible for developing talent are not funded?
What are government’s priorities? Why make promises that cannot be kept? The people should know there is no seriousness in this administration,” said Hishoono.
George Kambala of the Affirmative Repositioning (AR) movement said cutting funding punishes athletes instead of addressing governance shortcomings within sports federations.
He called for a complete overhaul of sports administration, saying federations that fail governance standards should be restructured.
“Sport is not an expense and should not be seen as such. It is an investment in our people. Cutting funding without a comprehensive reform plan punishes athletes instead of fixing governance failures. If there are accountability concerns, government must deal with those directly rather than withdrawing support from the entire sporting ecosystem.
“The issue is not simply whether government has money. It is about priorities. A nation that wants to fight unemployment, crime, substance abuse and social exclusion cannot afford to neglect sport. Every dollar invested in youth development through sport saves many more in future social costs.
“I am not surprised. It reflects a deeper governance problem where government often reacts to crises instead of planning ahead. We need predictable, performance-based funding, not abrupt decisions that derail athletes’ preparations and careers.
“We do not support blanket funding cuts. The real solution is to overhaul Namibia’s sports administration. We will push for an independent review of every federation, introduce performance contracts, mandatory annual audits, transparent procurement, athlete representation on governing boards and public disclosure of funding and results. Federations that perform should be rewarded, while those that fail governance standards must be restructured,” said Kambala.
Kambala pointed to Cricket Namibia as an example of good governance, saying it has demonstrated how sound administration, strategic partnerships and commercial thinking can produce world-class results despite limited resources.
Namibia is home to one of the world’s premier cricket grounds in Olympia and is set to co-host the International Cricket Council (ICC) Men’s Cricket World Cup next year alongside South Africa and Zimbabwe.
“Cricket Namibia has demonstrated that sound governance, strategic partnerships, commercial thinking and professional administration can produce world-class results despite limited resources. That model should become the national standard across all sporting codes.
“Namibia needs a National Sports Reform Programme that modernises the sector from the ground up. We must professionalise sports administration, diversify funding through private sector partnerships, establish a National Sports Development Fund, invest in community sports infrastructure in every constituency, strengthen school and university sports pathways, and develop sport into a viable economic sector that creates jobs.
“Our athletes deserve more than survival. They deserve systems that allow them to compete with the best in the world. The future of Namibian sport will not be built through funding cuts. It will be built through accountable leadership, professional management and bold investment,” he said.
Joseph Kauandenge of the Association for Localised Interests (ASOLI) said the funding suspension raises questions about government’s commitment to prioritising sport.
He said his party would continue lobbying for increased funding for sports federations.
“It seems President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah came into office with bold policy directives that are proving difficult to implement. Among those commitments was transforming sport and making it a priority for the benefit of young people.
“With the recent announcement that there is not enough money to fund sports federations, it is becoming clear that the chickens are coming home to roost. Looking at the bigger picture, it is becoming clearer by the day that this administration risks being remembered for failing to deliver on its own promises.
“We are not shocked by this decision because we expected it. Many of the public pronouncements were merely cosmetic. As a party, we will continue lobbying for more funding for sports bodies. Government is effectively broke because its spending has outpaced what is available in the national treasury,” said Kauandenge.
