Namibia’s agriculture minister, Mac-Albert Hengari, has been dismissed after facing serious allegations of raping a 16-year-old girl five years ago. Hengari, 59, was arrested on Saturday after allegedly trying to bribe the now 21-year-old woman to withdraw her complaint. Despite denying any wrongdoing, he appeared in court on Monday and was denied bail. The president’s office confirmed Hengari’s removal from both his ministerial role and the National Assembly, though it did not directly state the reasons for the dismissal.
The scandal marks the first major challenge for Namibia’s first female president, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, who assumed office just last month. Hengari, a member of the ruling SWAPO party, had been nominated by the president herself. Police revealed that Hengari faces multiple charges, including kidnapping, rape, and assault. During his court appearance in Windhoek, he was also charged with obstructing the course of justice. He and a co-accused will remain in custody until the next court hearing scheduled for June 3, with bail denied due to concerns over potential witness tampering and flight risk.
The opposition party, Independent Patriots for Change (IPC), condemned the arrest as a “profound failure of leadership” and highlighted the ongoing crisis of gender-based violence in Namibia, noting that over 4,800 cases were reported last year in a country of three million people. The IPC also criticized the vetting process that allowed Hengari’s appointment, citing an alleged criminal investigation dating back to November 2024.
President Nandi-Ndaitwah, a veteran member of SWAPO, was elected in November with 58% of the vote and recently introduced a historic cabinet with a majority of female members, including a female vice president. Her leadership had been celebrated for its promotion of gender equality before this controversy emerged.
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