The newly appointed interim executive chairperson of the National Youth Council (NYC), Patience Masua, said young people must take ownership of the council and emphasised their commitment to restoring confidence in the institution’s mandate.
The youth leader was appointed interim executive chairperson by education minister Sanet Steenkamp, following the resignation of Kennedy Kariseb in December 2025.
“We want young people to own the NYC, and we will ensure our partners have a restored faith in supporting the work that the NYC does and is supposed to do,” she said.
She shared that, after her recent official introduction to the staff, they are keen to hold a General Assembly as soon as reasonably possible, so that the NYC can rise and respond to the needs of young people, not only in rhetoric but with impactful, meaningful, and measurable programmes.
Masua, who served as the council’s board member prior to the appointment, indicated that the board and management are determined to pull in the same direction to restore programmes at the NYC and thereby restore young people’s trust in the organisation.
She asserted that, “The heartbeat of NYC is its programmes, which must be functional and running, but importantly, they must speak to the aspirations of our young people. Together with the board and management, we shall revive strategic partnerships with critical stakeholders, but also do our best to ensure that mutual trust remains, even after we hand over to the elected council.”
Infightings
There have been concerns from youth organisations and activists about the dysfunctionality of the council, which is mired by a prolonged leadership vacuum, persistent infighting, and ongoing legal battles that have severely undermined the institution’s credibility.
“The institution is stable and fully functional. The duty of the interim board is to ensure that the guidelines are followed and duly approved by the structures outlined in the NYC Act, if amendments are needed ahead of the General Assembly,” she declared.
She stated that her three-month stint at the NYC included facilitating the General Assembly in electing substantive leadership for the council and in restoring the confidence of our young people in the council.
“The key to this is to ensure compliance with the guidelines that determine the General Assembly procedures and to facilitate a smooth transition between the nullified General Assembly and the successful General Assembly that we’ll convene, under the custodianship of the interim board,” said the policy and governance analyst.
Youth leadership
Masua is no stranger to governance. In April 2021, at the age of 22, the Gobabis native was appointed as a member of parliament by the late President Hage Geingob, following the resignation of then minister of defence, Peter Vilho.
Her leadership journey began long before her parliamentary appointment. Masua previously served as the secretary-general of the Namibia National Students Organisation (Nanso) and as the speaker of the University of Namibia Student Representative Council.
Masua holds a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from the University of Namibia and has displayed leadership from an early age, having served as head girl of Delta Secondary School in Windhoek.
Beyond politics, she is passionate about youth empowerment and activism, particularly through education. Masua currently also serves as a deputy director in the Office of the Prime Minister, where she continues to contribute to national development and public service.
She provides strategic support to the Prime Minister in coordinating governance programmes, policy implementation, and inter-ministerial collaboration across government.
