Renthia Kaimbi
Opposition leader Panduleni Itula has called on the government to publish a fully costed recovery plan for the Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) outbreak, including details of funding, fencing milestones and emergency contracts, as a procurement dispute over a veterinary cordon fence adds to questions about Namibia’s preparedness.
In a statement issued on Tuesday following President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah’s address on the outbreak, Itula said the government should provide clear deadlines and assign responsibility for actions within its control.
“Government should publish the costed plan, approved funding, amounts disbursed, remaining shortfall and fencing milestones,” he said.
Itula said reporting had put the estimated containment requirement at N$190.2 million, including about N$47 million for 290 kilometers of disease-control fencing.
He called for emergency contracts to be disclosed, including the suppliers involved, prices and delivery obligations.
The call comes as a separate procurement dispute over the construction of a 185-kilometer veterinary cordon fence along the South African border continues to unfold.
The fence, which comprises 155 kilometers along the Orange River and another 30 kilometers between the Klein Menasse and Mata Mata border posts in the //Kharas Region, was originally subjected to a competitive tender process that attracted 23 bids.
The Central Procurement Board of Namibia (CPBN) selected China Jiangxi International (Namibia) JV Homefin Properties CC on 18 August, at a tender value of N$120 million.
The procurement process was subsequently cancelled, with CPBN citing its failure to “create or achieve the expected outcome”, before the project was awarded through emergency procurement to Punchu Trading CC JV China State Construction Engineering Southern Africa for N$122 million.
The decision has been challenged by Homefin, which argues that the cancellation of the original tender and subsequent emergency award were unlawful.
The dispute has gained significance in light of the FMD outbreak, which was confirmed in Namibia on 23 September.
CPBN has maintained that the circumstances changed rapidly after Homefin’s selection, with the disease situation in South Africa moving closer to Namibia and creating an urgent need to have the fence constructed.
According to court papers reported on the dispute, CPBN was initially advised that an expedited competitive procurement process could deliver the fence in time.
The board later concluded that continuing with the ordinary process could leave Namibia exposed as the disease moved closer to the border.
The procurement board has therefore defended the emergency award as necessary to enable immediate mobilisation and construction.
Homefin, however, has questioned why a tender that had already gone through a competitive evaluation and resulted in its selection was cancelled.
The company has also placed the timing of the decision under scrutiny, including the fact that its representations against the proposed cancellation were not considered before the emergency award was made.
CPBN chairperson Mary Shiimi has acknowledged in an answering affidavit that Homefin’s representations, submitted on 4 September, were only brought to her attention after the emergency award had already been made.
She subsequently considered the representations but found no basis to reverse the decision, according to the court papers.
On Friday, Homefin asked the Review Panel to set aside the emergency award and direct CPBN to take further steps regarding the original procurement process.
The fencing dispute comes as the government implements additional containment measures following the confirmation of FMD in //Kharas.
Cabinet has approved a containment buffer zone in the Karasburg Veterinary District, repairs to sections of the Namibia-Botswana border fence and veterinary cordon fencing in high-risk areas along the South African border.
Itula said the government must also account for its preparedness after a November 2025 report in which the ministry warned that the FMD-free zone was not adequately prepared for an outbreak.
“Government should account for the corrective actions taken after that warning, the resources provided and the gaps that remained,” he said.
He also called for clarity on Namibia’s path towards restoring access to international markets, saying the country needed to know what each trading partner requires and what government had already submitted.
“Government cannot guarantee when another country will reopen its market. It can tell farmers what work must be completed, who must complete it and by when,” Itula said.
The European Union has already temporarily suspended entry of certain fresh meat and other products from Namibia’s previously FMD-free zone, while qualifying fresh-meat consignments certified before 23 September may be allowed entry during a 90-day period, subject to EU requirements and border-control decisions.
Itula further wants the ministers responsible for agriculture and international relations and trade to publish a joint recovery statement by 9 October, setting out trading-partner restrictions, Namibia’s submissions, outstanding requirements, responsible officials and deadlines.
