Opposition Denounces Power Grab in Namibia's Oil and Gas Legislation
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Namibia's opposition parties warn that proposed changes to the Petroleum Act dangerously concentrate power in the presidency, risking corruption and undermining democratic oversight.
Namibian opposition parties have raised alarm over proposed amendments to the Petroleum (Exploration and Production) Act, which would strip regulatory authority from the Ministry of Mines and Energy and hand it directly to the Office of the President. This blatant centralization of power is a textbook move toward authoritarianism, opening the door to unchecked exploitation of Namibia’s natural resources by a political elite.
Popular Democratic Movement president McHenry Venaani condemned the move, highlighting the perils of placing such immense power in the hands of a single individual. He pointed to past abuses in other sectors, warning, "We need to carefully consider what amendments we are doing because this is a resource that has the potential to create criminals and superheroes in terms of how it is applied." The risk is clear: without robust, democratic checks, Namibia’s oil and gas wealth could be siphoned off by a few at the expense of the many.
Affirmative Repositioning chief whip Tuhafeni Hangula echoed these concerns, calling for transparent and inclusive debate. "Oil has been in the ground for millions of years and it is not going anywhere. There is no need for us to be bulldozed into making amendments even though there is already an existing act," he said, rejecting the rush to hand over control to the presidency.
In a telling response, acting Minister of Mines and Energy Frans Kapofi insisted that due process would be followed, yet still pressured lawmakers to treat the bill as urgent, citing constitutional changes pushed by the president. "We are not bulldozing anyone, we're simply appealing to everyone to treat this as urgent due to the changes introduced constitutionally by the president, and to fully enforce we brought this instrument to you."
The National Assembly has postponed further discussion of the bill until after the recess, but the fight for democratic control over Namibia’s resources is far from over, with debates set to resume on 3 February 2026.
Source
The Namibian -Fact-checking
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