My name is Willem Amutenya, a child of the liberation struggle, born in Lubango, Angola, and hailing from Lihongo village in the Oshikoto region. 

I am a product of student politics, groomed at the University of Namibia, where I pursued my Honours Degree in Education (Science). 

I have served my country at various levels: as a secondary school teacher, a university lecturer, and as an administrator both at university and government levels. I am also a farmer and an entrepreneur. 

I am deeply passionate about youth affairs, education, entrepreneurship, agricultural economics and rural development, as I am a product as well as a proud dweller of a rural village. 

I am a member of the Swapo Party Central Committee, as well as the Swapo Party Youth League Central Committee. 

I am truly honoured and excited to sit in this august house alongside the giants who have led the very institutions and systems that nurtured and shaped my political career. I make special mention of the Right Honourable Prime Minister Elijah Tjitunga Ngurare, who, in his capacity as secretary of the Swapo Party Youth League at the time, was the first to send me, together with fellow members of the Swapo Party Youth League, to South Africa for political training. 

I extend my heartfelt gratitude to Honourable Ephraim Nekongo, the Secretary of the Swapo Party Youth League, for the invaluable opportunities that have significantly contributed to the solidification of my political career to this day. I also express sincere appreciation to the University of Namibia for its robust and dynamic system of student leadership, which continues to nurture and develop leaders across all spheres of national life. Allow me to appreciate my dear wife, my entire family, friends and comrades for their unwavering support. 

Our government institutions must ensure our people, especially the youth, benefit meaningfully from our natural resources. This should be achieved through opportunities in sustainable entrepreneurship, support for sustainable local investment, participation in global trade, and, above all, access to quality education and skills development. 

I rise today as one of the youth representatives in this 8th Parliament, a truly unique Parliament in the history of our Republic, where young leaders hold a significant presence, something we should all be proud of. This has instilled a renewed sense of hope and conviction among our citizens: hope for economic reform, hope for social progression, and hope for national prosperity. 

It is a hope further strengthened by the leadership of our first female president, Her Excellency Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah. 

Therefore, honourable members, we must work as a collective, regardless of our political differences, to review and pass laws and policies that give substance to the hopes of our people. We are the leadership of hope and conviction – not only for Namibia, but as an example to the world. 

Budget 

Allow me to join fellow members in congratulating the minister for tabling the 2025/2026 budget to the tune of N$106.3 billion. 

Our business and economic sectors are still suffering from the far-reaching impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic, which particularly affected youth entrepreneurship and employment. The pandemic caused disruptions in both global and local supply chains, impacting commodity prices, production activities, and Namibia’s external demand. Many young people lost their income and employment due to retrenchments and the closure of businesses. 

Recognising that our economy is continuing on the recovery path at a slow pace and remains quite fragile and uneven, as illustrated in the fiscal strategy presented to this House, there is a pressing need to continue addressing systemic fragilities and imbalances. I would like to commend the Ministry of Finance for acknowledging, through its budgetary allocation, the need for trade promotion, industrial and small business development, and the promotion of investment opportunities. 

However, Honourable Speaker, Honourable Members of this House: 

We must curb the infiltration of foreign enterprises into rural areas, providing goods and services that compete with local entrepreneurs, further impacting the informal sector, without undermining the principles of a mixed economy. 

Our laws and policies should not permit foreigners, such as Chinese or Indian nationals, to sell items like oomboha (steel nails) or ropes at rural malls in Lihongo village or Pusa village in the Kapako constituency of the Kavango West region. Consequently, the retail commercial sector should be reserved for locals to minimise competition. 

We must protect local businesses through local preference guidelines and develop local capabilities through sector reservations. Therefore, this Parliament of hope and conviction should review and enact strong laws and guidelines that protect our local economy. 

Furthermore, the informal economy should be strengthened by providing the necessary economic infrastructure and social amenities, strategically placed to enhance productive business activities. 

The sustainable solution to youth unemployment in Namibia lies in the creation of beneficiation. 

For too long, we have preached a common phrase: “Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.” We have educated the youth through our education and training systems, but it appears we have not provided adequate rivers for the youth to fish from. The solution lies in value-addition. 

*Willem Amutenya is a youth leader and Swapo Member of Parliament. This is the abridged version of his maiden speech.