On 16 September newly crowned Miss Africa Vistorina Hipangelwa chose the National Youth Council (NYC) head office as her first port of call after winning the crown in Nigeria.
It was a moment of pride – a young Namibian bringing a continental crown to the House of the Youth.
Her choice suggests that, despite difficult headlines, young Namibians still see the NYC as their home, and the council’s record gives them reason to.
Long before its recent challenges, the NYC was one of Namibia’s foremost leadership incubators.
Some of today’s ministers, deputy ministers, members of parliament, chief executives, executive directors and directors cut their teeth there.
When it works, it develops leaders who serve Namibia in public and private life.
In recent years, the NYC has delivered support to youth.
In 2021, under the coordination of Michael Mulunga, now a member of parliament but then an NYC employee, the council disbursed grants to young people nationwide for youth-led projects.
For many beneficiaries, it was their first capital for poultry projects, tailoring businesses, car washes and agricultural initiatives.
In 2025, the NYC supported Johanna Swartbooi, who went on to win the Miss Namibia crown, on her national and international journey, providing institutional backing and a platform for her advocacy.
THE REAL WORK
These and many more stories often go unreported, but are the real work of the youth council.
Then came 19 June 2026.
The third general assembly convened at Swakopmund with high expectations.
Vice president Lucia Witbooi opened it, reminding delegates that they are future leaders.
Her presence signalled that the government is committed to youth development and has not abandoned the NYC despite the contested assembly at Rietfontein in December 2024.
As proceedings continued, that future descended into chaos.
Disputes over delegate verification and electoral procedures allegedly led to commotion, injuries, security intervention, and indefinite postponement of the general assembly.
Youth organisations, including the Swapo Party Youth League and the Indigenous Minorities Youth Organisation of Namibia, condemned the collapse.
The Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sport, Arts and Culture condemned the commotion and postponed proceedings pending investigations.
The Swakopmund commotion did not just happen. It followed an earlier contested general assembly at Rietfontein in December 2024, which was not recognised by the ministry.
The then minister of sport, youth and national service, Agnes Tjongarero, ordered the elections halted and dismissed the NYC board on 13 December, citing misconduct and defiance of ministerial directives, The Namibian reported at the time.
What followed damaged the NYC brand: interim boards, court challenges, settlement agreements, petitions over delegate lists, and a deepening perception that the NYC had become more about contesting positions than youth development.
As one opinion piece put it: “… a council many youths began to see as disconnected from its mandate”.
It is easy to blame the young people who pushed and shouted at Swakopmund.
The commotion is not that of unruly youth, but of a mismanaged process – an unclear and disputed voters’ roll, last-minute accreditation, politicisation of youth structures, selfish agendas, and the perception that being elected gives access to NYC funds and opportunities.
WEAK PROCESS
When the process is weak, chaos fills the space.
The questions raised at Swakopmund – about who is a legitimate delegate, about adherence to the National Youth Council Act of 2009 and the approved roadmap – deserve a transparent, lawful answer.
There is hope. A new dawn can emerge for the NYC. The fact that we can openly discuss Swakopmund and Rietfontein is the start of renewal.
It must be built on credibility to ensure every young person, rural and urban, has equal opportunity to youth development programmes.
Elected leaders must be willing to serve, not for what they can gain.
The government has given the platform, the law and the funding. The youth must bring integrity and focus on real issues – jobs, skills and solutions.
If the assembly is reconvened, the following should apply: A clean, independently verified delegate list must be published weeks before the assembly.
No young person should be injured while exercising democratic rights – safety must be guaranteed.
The general assembly must debate youth issues, not just who gets which position.
Every dollar spent must be accounted for.
Organising staff should serve only the interest of the youth.
Miss Africa’s decision to visit the NYC first suggests young Namibians still have faith in it.
The task now is for the youth council, with its partners’ support, to become worthy of that faith.
The council is not just an office, it’s a home for Namibian youth.
- Brian Prince is a youth development practitioner and media professional. He writes in his personal capacity.
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