Patience Makwele
Inconsistent decision-making, weak discipline and communication failures within the security cluster are eroding public trust in Namibia’s frontline services, minister of home affairs, immigration, safety and security Lucia Iipumbu has warned.
Iipumbu made the remarks during a regional ministerial staff meeting in Katima Mulilo on Friday as part of a two-day working visit to inspect border posts and ministry projects in the Zambezi region.
The meeting brought together officials from Immigration, the Namibian Police Force (Nampol) and the Namibian Correctional Service (NCS).
She described the Zambezi region as both strategic and vulnerable and said officers responsible for border security and law enforcement carry a critical responsibility.
“You are expected to protect the borders of the republic, uphold the law, detect irregularities, prevent crime and maintain internal security. This is not an easy responsibility, but it is a noble one. You are not merely operating offices, border posts, police stations and service points. You are helping to secure the republic. You are helping to protect communities,” she said.
Iipumbu said she understands the challenges faced by officers in the region, including long distances, remote communities, seasonal flooding and strong social and economic ties across borders.
She also acknowledged that many officers work under pressure and with limited resources.
“I am aware that the Zambezi region faces real operational challenges. During rainy seasons and flooding, access becomes difficult. Some communities are separated by rivers and floodplains,” Iipumbu noted.
“Border communities have family, cultural and economic connections across national boundaries. Officers often work under pressure, sometimes with limited resources. I recognise these realities. However, difficult conditions must never become an excuse for poor service.”
Iipumbu said the region continues to face security threats such as stock theft, smuggling, illegal border crossings, housebreaking and gender-based violence.
She called for stronger coordination among law enforcement agencies.
Officials within the security cluster said the minister’s visit has increased attention on long-standing operational concerns.
An immigration official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the visit has strengthened accountability among staff but also highlighted the strain facing the system.
“For a long time, these issues were just discussed internally without this level of direct engagement from the minister. Now there is a feeling that things are being watched more closely,” the official said.
The official stated that operational challenges, rather than negligence, often cause inconsistent service delivery.
“At some border posts, we are often dealing with staff shortages, system delays and sudden spikes in movement,” the official said. “When systems slow down or officers rotate frequently, uniformity becomes difficult to maintain in every interaction.”
The official said system downtime and manual verification processes often create delays that the public views as poor service.
“From the outside, it looks like inconsistency. But inside the system you are often dealing with breakdowns and pressure at the same time.”
Security cluster official Martin Sitali Lutibezi said staff generally support stronger oversight but continue to face heavy workloads.
“There is no resistance to discipline or improvement. But the reality is that workloads are heavy and, in some cases, one officer is doing the work of several,” Lutibezi said.
He said inconsistency often arises when procedures are interpreted differently across departments.
“People think officers are just being careless, but often there is no single, clearly enforced way of doing certain things across all posts. That leads to different interpretations, and the public experiences that as inconsistency,” he said.
Lutibezi noted that sustained pressure and a lack of support during busy periods often affect staff morale.
At border posts across the region, officers described the challenge of balancing security, service delivery and limited capacity.
One officer said border management has become increasingly demanding.
“You are dealing with people who are tired, systems that can slow down without warning and strict rules that must still be enforced,” the officer said. “It creates pressure from both sides, the public and the institution.”
The officer said staff hope the minister’s visit will result in practical improvements.
“When leadership comes closer to the ground like this, it usually means change is coming. We hope it means more staff, better systems and clearer procedures, not just instructions.”
