Erasmus Shalihaxwe
The City of Windhoek’s (CoW) mayor, Ndeshihafela Larandja has declared that her leadership will focus on action-driven governance through structured execution rather than political rhetoric.
Speaking during her mayoral inauguration on Wednesday, Larandja emphasised the need for transformative governance, economic acceleration, and civic engagement to address Windhoek’s challenges.
She was elected mayor in January this year.
Larandja stated that Windhoek cannot afford another decade of stagnation and called for a reinvigorated approach to governance.
“I do not stand here today to announce an intention; I stand here to declare action. We will govern not through political rhetoric but through structured execution. We will lead not through grand promises but through measurable progress. We will partner not out of obligation, but out of the undeniable truth that our success is collective. Windhoek is becoming, and we are open for more business,” she said.
She outlined her vision for Windhoek to transition into a globally competitive city within the next decade, regaining its status among the world’s top cities.
Larandja pledged to champion the provisions of the Local Authorities Act, 1992, and to adopt a proactive, systematic, and transformational leadership style.
“My leadership will be based on championing the provisions of section 11, subsection 5 of the Local Authorities Act, 1992 (Act 23 of 1992) (as amended) among others. I will be proactive, systematic, and transformational. In full realisation of the above, during my tenure as mayor, I will not merely oversee council meetings or engage in ceremonial duties. I intend to make my tenure and my office drive the execution of transformational projects and become a governance hub,” said Larandja.
Larandja acknowledged progress in access to water for Windhoek’s population but highlighted ongoing challenges in sanitation infrastructure in informal areas, solid waste management, and road maintenance.
She noted that rapid urbanisation has strained the city’s road networks, leading to inefficiencies.
She also talked about the effects of the Public Procurement Act, 2015, and the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) models. She said that these frameworks have made things more open, but they have also caused inefficiencies in the bureaucracy that make it harder to provide services and build infrastructure.
“More needs to be done to achieve a level of efficiency conducive for accelerated economic growth,” she said.
