The Khomas region continues to face pressure over land, housing and school capacity despite progress in infrastructure, youth empowerment, healthcare and rural development, National Council parliamentarian John Moonde has said.
Presenting the region’s 2025/26 annual report during a National Council session on Thursday, Moonde said more than 300 Grade 1 pupils and 805 Grade 8 pupils remained without school placement in Khomas by March.
He said overcrowding was particularly severe in the Tobias Hainyeko, Katutura Central, Samora Machel, Moses Garoeb and Khomasdal constituencies, where teacher-pupil ratios reached between 40 and 55 pupils per teacher.
Ten basic education capital projects worth more than N$200 million are under construction in Khomas, while five projects valued at N$153 million are in procurement for 2026/27.
On housing, Moonde said the shortage of serviced land remained a major challenge, with informal settlements continuing to expand.
The City of Windhoek has completed layouts for 11 226 erven across 18 townships, with about N$296.4 million earmarked for land servicing and housing delivery during 2026/27.
“The N$357.8 million debt-swap agreement between government and the city, converting liabilities into 423 hectares of land, is expected to unlock more than 6 000 erven,” he said.
The region also recorded progress in youth development, with 192 projects by small and medium enterprises financed at N$2.5 million, while agricultural programmes supported farmers with inputs, machinery and training.
However, he said high construction costs, limited funding and lengthy township establishment and procurement processes continued to delay housing delivery.
He called for faster implementation of land reform resolutions, enactment of the constituency development fund bill, diversified infrastructure financing and stronger intergovernmental coordination.
Facts Only
* More than 300 Grade 1 pupils and 805 Grade 8 pupils remained without school placement in Khomas by March.
* Teacher-pupil ratios reached between 40 and 55 pupils per teacher in the Tobias Hainyeko, Katutura Central, Samora Machel, Moses Garoeb, and Khomasdal constituencies.
* Ten basic education capital projects worth more than N$200 million are under construction in Khomas.
* Five projects valued at N$153 million are in procurement for 2026/27.
* The shortage of serviced land remains a major challenge, and informal settlements continue to expand.
* The City of Windhoek completed layouts for 11,226 erven across 18 townships.
* Approximately N$296.4 million is earmarked for land servicing and housing delivery during 2026/27.
* A N$357.8 million debt-swap agreement is converting liabilities into 423 hectares of land, expected to unlock more than 6,000 erven.
* 192 projects by small and medium enterprises were financed at N$2.5 million for youth development.
* Agricultural programmes supported farmers with inputs, machinery, and training.
* High construction costs, limited funding, and lengthy establishment processes delayed housing delivery.
Executive Summary
Full Take
The narrative reveals a tension between high-level programmatic progress (infrastructure financing, youth support) and ground-level implementation deficits concerning fundamental necessities like education and housing. The pattern of development is characterized by shifting focus: large capital projects are initiated, but the bureaucratic and financial friction points—specifically cost, funding limitations, and slow procurement—act as significant bottlenecks, stalling tangible delivery to the populace. This suggests a systemic challenge where policy articulation does not automatically translate into equitable outcomes on the ground, particularly when addressing deeply entrenched spatial issues like land tenure.
The persistence of overcrowding in specific areas, despite broader development figures, points toward an issue of spatial equity rather than just quantitative allocation. The fact that formal education remains inaccessible for thousands suggests that the administrative and physical systems are not adequately scaled to meet demand immediately. Furthermore, the mechanism by which debt-swap agreements unlock land is critical; if the process itself becomes another source of delay or complexity, it functions as a form of institutional friction rather than pure liberation. This dynamic implies that cognitive sovereignty is challenged when macro-level goals (development) are pursued without sufficient systemic agility to address localized constraints and procedural lags.
What mechanisms govern the flow of funds and approvals for these large projects? Does the current administrative structure prioritize speed or due process, and how do those priorities influence the outcomes for marginalized communities experiencing housing shortages or educational gaps? What is the long-term consequence when resource mobilization is successful but implementation remains stalled by process rigidity?