Winfried Nyambe, a career journalist now-turned senior public relations officer (PRO), is an avid civil servant with the Kavango East Regional Council (KERC). 

Born and raised in Diyogha village, within the Mukwe Constituency of the Kavango East region, Nyambe makes sure that communities are well informed about government services to best improve their lives.

Nyambe began his career as a journalist in 2008 after graduating from Unam with a bachelor’s degree in media studies. 

That same year, he worked as an intern reporter at the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation.“I became a full-time reporter and later a senior reporter in the then-Kavango region. In 2015, I joined the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (MICT) as a chief information officer in Windhoek. I worked there for six years and eight months,” he shared.

Nyambe then resigned in 2021 to pursue studies to a university in India.

“I wanted to go further my studies there – then came Covid-19. Just when I was about to travel, India closed their borders, as they were recording a million cases. That plan was shuttered, and I got a gig from NBC that same year as a freelance reporter. From there, I joined the Kavango East Regional Council in October 2022,’’ he narrated.

Civil service

Sharing why he joined the civil service, Nyambe said, “I joined the civil service to serve those in need of government services, in this particular case, the need for information so they can make informed decisions in every aspect of their lives.”

Asked about his day-to-day duties as a public relations officer, he said, “Disseminating information within the council and to the public is my major role. In this case, in terms of information, it’s anything related to what the council does to develop the region and engage communities. Apart from that, I make sure that I uphold the image of the regional council by ensuring that all the activities, projects or programmes that the council is implementing are communicated to the public”.

Nyambe’s role also involves ensuring that when there is negative publicity about the council or when a bad or unclear news story is written about the region or council, he sets the record straight by providing clarity.

“In most cases, the majority of people out there in rural areas don’t know or are uninformed about how development happens. So, as PRO of the regional council, my role now is to best inform them about government services. For example, if a certain village needs water in their area, when the community is well informed, they will use the available structures and identify their needs. 

“This information will be taken to the council through the regional development committee, then to the regional council and finally to the council meeting where it can be tabled and discussed,” he noted.

He added that “Once approved, the demand will be taken to the National Planning Commission. Budgetary needs will be made through a department that is responsible for that. So, that type of information or the way government coordinates its activities, the communities are not aware of it. It’s my role as a PRO to ensure that all the communities are aware on how to go about getting their grievances or demands to government so that relevant institutions within government can be able to address their needs”.

Career goals

Nyambe shared that although he ended up in the communications industry, it was never planned.

“During high school, at Max Makushe Secondary School, there was no career guidance. The only careers we were exposed to were becoming teachers or nurses in our village. I didn’t like these options. I didn’t dream of being a journalist or a PRO. After exams, I travelled to Windhoek for holiday. When the results were released, I went for late registration at Unam’s main campus. The only courses remaining were Psychology and Media Studies, so I chose Media Studies even though it wasn’t my dream career. However, I understood the possible outcomes of the course, and the rest is history,” she said.

He said being a civil servant in the communications industry is fulfilling because the work done is impactful. 

“Remember, I used to be a community reporter at NBC. Every story I covered made an impact – whether it was about complaints regarding lack of healthcare facilities or dilapidated government infrastructure. The moment I finished reporting, the government would react,” Nyambe noted.

“What I am passionate about is that, as media practitioners, we hold the government accountable so they can improve people’s lives. Now, as a civil servant, I understand government operations and activities. My job is to ensure I disseminate that information to the public or communities, so they are better informed on how to access services from the government,” he added.

Aspirations

Regarding what the future holds, Nyambe shared: “I have come to love my current career now more than before. At the regional level, it’s just about continuing to play my role. In terms of growth, unfortunately, there are no structures for advancement in my job. However, if opportunities arise in other regions, I would love to see myself climbing the ladder to senior positions in the near future. I have no plans of leaving public service for now”. 

-jmuyamba@nepc.com.na