Ndapandula Vanyika
The Acting Inspector General of the Namibian Police, Major General Anne-Marie Nainda, says Namibia cannot be complacent despite a slight drop in the previous festive season road deaths, warning that behind every statistic is a family shattered by loss.
Nainda was speaking at the police national headquarters in Windhoek on Monday during a road safety stakeholders’ consultative meeting convened to prepare for the 2026/2027 festive season road safety campaign, which will run from 16 November 2026 to 15 January 2027.
Nainda said the meeting was crucial because the festive season remains one of the most dangerous periods on Namibian roads, requiring increased road safety enforcement and intervention.
“Increased movement of people, long-distance travelling, increased traffic volumes and social activities place additional pressure on our road network and consequently increase the risk of serious road traffic crashes,” said Nainda.
She presented figures from the previous campaign, revealing that Namibia recorded 470 road crashes, 932 injuries and 92 fatalities during the 2025/2026 festive season.
“Although these figures represent a slight decrease compared to the previous festive season, they paint a grim picture because behind every number is a person, a family and a community affected by loss, injury and trauma,” said Nainda.
She also emphasised that road safety cannot be left to the police alone, noting that the force recognises that effective road safety cannot be achieved through enforcement alone but requires the collective contribution of all stakeholders.
“The efforts that we have made in road safety would not have been possible through the efforts of one institution alone. Road safety is a shared national responsibility, and the presence of all of you demonstrates recognition of the importance of teamwork,” said Nainda.
She thanked stakeholders for their continued support, adding that their contributions extend beyond financial assistance.
“It includes the provision of resources, equipment, technical expertise, public awareness, emergency services, infrastructure support, operational assistance, information sharing and the willingness to work together with the Namibian Police Force towards one common objective of saving lives on our roads,” she said.
For the upcoming campaign, Nainda said NamPol had identified five high-risk corridors where intensified enforcement would be concentrated. These are Otjiwarongo to Otavi, Otavi to Tsumeb, Otjiwarongo to Okahandja, Okahandja to Karibib to Arandis, and Karibib to Omaruru to Kalkfeld to Otjiwarongo.
A dedicated team of 20 members from NamPol’s Traffic Law Enforcement Unit will be deployed along these corridors, supported by regional commanders and regional traffic structures.
Nainda said interventions would include high-visibility patrols, roadblocks and traffic inspections, speed enforcement, alcohol screening, roadworthiness inspections, enforcement against unlicensed and non-compliant motorists, and public awareness campaigns.
“Every operation comes at a cost. The deployment of members away from their normal stations requires funding for subsistence and travel, accommodation, vehicles, fuel, equipment and monitoring. The financial and other contributions made by our stakeholders are important,” she said.
Considering this investment, Nainda called for accountability and measurable results, directing regional traffic coordinators to ensure that every deployed member understands their responsibilities.
She said officers must remain visible, professional, disciplined and operationally productive. They must also conduct meaningful enforcement, identify and address high-risk behaviour, engage road users and ensure that their activities contribute to improved road safety.
“Our success at the end of the 2026/2027 festive season should not simply be measured by the activities we conducted, but by the lives we protected, crashes we prevented, injuries we avoided and families we helped to keep alive,” said Nainda.
– kulaumonendapandula@gmail.com
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