Allexer Namundjembo
The City of Windhoek’s newly launched People-Centred Smart City Strategy (2026–2036) has drawn mixed reactions from community activists, with some welcoming the vision for technological transformation while others question whether the municipality is ready to pursue ambitious smart city projects amid persistent service delivery challenges.
The strategy, officially handed over on Monday in partnership with UN-Habitat and the United Nations Innovation Technology Accelerator for Cities, seeks to guide Windhoek’s development over the next decade through digital innovation, improved connectivity, modernised transport systems, and data-driven governance.
The announcement, however, has sparked debate among community activists, particularly regarding the city’s ability to balance long-term technological ambitions with immediate service delivery needs.
Community activist Sem Billy David said the strategy demonstrates that the city is committed to embracing technology but warned that its success will depend on implementation and inclusivity.
“The City of Windhoek has taken an important step toward using smart technology for housing, transportation and data-driven service delivery,” David said.
“This shows that the City is strategically ready and committed to using technology to improve residents’ quality of life. However, full readiness will develop over time as the strategy is implemented, infrastructure is upgraded and new systems are tested and scaled up.”
David argued that the city must ensure residents in informal settlements are not left behind during the implementation process.
He proposed the introduction of a migration management system to better track population growth and urbanisation patterns, saying this would assist the city in managing the continued expansion of informal settlements.
“If you use high technology without a migration system, you won’t have a way to control the movement of people who are coming in, and that will make it difficult to control the proliferation of informal settlements,” he said.
David also highlighted the need for accelerated formalisation of informal settlements, noting that more work remains to be done before communities can fully benefit from urban development initiatives.
“There is more to be done to roll out the formalisation process,” he added.
While supporting the broader vision, David identified three key areas requiring urgent attention including visible improvements in informal settlements, meaningful community participation, and greater accountability.
“People hear big words like ‘smart city’ but they are still queuing for water, using unsafe toilets and walking in mud because there are no proper roads,” he said.
“Until the first smart projects directly fix those basics in places like Goreangab, Havana and Okuryangava, many will feel this plan is for someone else.”
David further called on the municipality to establish dedicated budgets for projects in low-income communities and to install digital kiosks at public facilities to ensure residents without internet access or smart devices can still benefit from digital services.
He also urged the city to improve communication with residents by holding regular feedback meetings in communities and publishing clear progress reports detailing project timelines, budgets, and implementation responsibilities.
“People don’t know the timelines, budgets or who is responsible for each project,” David said.
“If the City published simple, easy-to-understand progress reports by location, residents could track whether this 10-year plan is real or just another promise.”
For his part, the city’s mayor Sakarias Uunona acknowledged that the success of the strategy would ultimately depend on implementation rather than planning alone.
“Success will be measured not by the quality of the document, but by our collective ability to turn its vision into tangible outcomes,” he said.
“We must move from planning to implementation, from ideas to action, from ambition to impact.”
Speaking at the launch, Uunona framed the strategy as a pledge to build a more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Windhoek.
He emphasised that the plan is not merely a document but a collective vision and a promise to residents that technology and innovation would be harnessed to enhance lives, expand opportunities, and ensure inclusivity.
Acknowledging the pressures of rapid urbanisation, housing shortages, mobility challenges, and climate change, Uunona stressed that technology must serve as a strategic tool to improve quality of life.
He defined a truly smart city as one that prioritises people, where digital innovation improves service access, data guides decision-making, mobility is efficient, and economic prospects are broadened.
Key projects under the strategy include the commercialisation of the city’s fibre-optic network and the introduction of commuter rail services connecting Windhoek, Katutura, and Rehoboth, as part of wider efforts to transform urban mobility.
