The Namibian government has announced a five-month suspension on all public sector recruitment as part of its efforts to tighten spending and manage the national budget. The decision, which excludes the recruitment of medical staff and teachers, was approved by Cabinet on 7 October and will remain in effect until 31 March 2026.
Secretary to the Cabinet Emilia Mkusa confirmed the move in an urgent memo addressed to executive directors and accounting officers, explaining that the measure forms part of broader fiscal consolidation efforts. The directive follows Cabinet’s recent discussions on macroeconomic performance and the mid-year budget review for the 2025/26 financial year.
According to Mkusa, positions that have already been approved and advertised will not be affected, but departments are urged to speed up the recruitment process for those posts. However, any positions cleared but not yet advertised must be put on hold until further notice.
Meanwhile, in Parliament, IPC MP Elvis Lizazi questioned Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare on the progress of the government’s job creation promises. Lizazi asked for clarity on which sectors have generated at least 100,000 jobs so far, referencing the ruling party’s 2024 campaign pledge to create 500,000 jobs over five years, an average of 100,000 annually.
