President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has dismissed Dr. Mac-Albert Hengari from his position as Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform, following his arrest in connection with serious allegations of rape and attempted bribery.
The announcement was made by the Office of the President on Sunday afternoon, citing Article 32(6) of the Namibian Constitution, which grants the President powers to dismiss Cabinet ministers. The statement confirmed that Hengari’s dismissal is effective as of Wednesday, 23 April 2025 — the date by which he had been expected to resign.
“President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has relieved Hon. Dr. Mac-Albert Hengari of his duties… and withdrawn him from the National Assembly with immediate effect,” said Presidential Press Secretary Dr. Alfredo Hengari.
Hengari, who served just 27 days in Cabinet after his appointment on 22 March 2025, now ranks among Namibia’s shortest-serving ministers.
The dismissal follows Hengari’s arrest on Saturday during a police-led sting operation. He allegedly attempted to bribe a 21-year-old woman who had filed a rape case against him. According to police reports, the former minister was caught handing over N$230,000 in cash in an effort to convince the victim to drop the charges.
National Police Inspector General Joseph Shikongo confirmed that Hengari is expected to be formally charged today and may appear in court as early as Monday. DNA samples have been collected from both Hengari and the complainant, with results pending.
The rape allegations stem from alleged repeated sexual contact with the woman dating back to when she was a minor between 2019 and September 2024. The woman is also reportedly the mother of a seven-month-old child allegedly fathered by Hengari.
“The team is compiling the charges, and he will be charged during the course of the day,” said Lt. Gen. Shikongo.
Police also confirmed that another individual related to the victim was arrested alongside Hengari during the operation.
Despite initially claiming to have resigned early on Sunday, Hengari’s failure to submit a formal resignation by the President’s deadline led to his immediate dismissal. Political analysts and commentators had been calling for his removal ever since the allegations first surfaced earlier this month.
The matter remains under active police investigation.
