The Asoli Progressive Party has called on the government to show how prepared it is for a potentially severe drought expected during the 2026/27 rainy season as a result of the rapidly intensifying El Niño climate pattern.
In an open letter dated 6 September and addressed to prime minister Elijah Ngurare, Asoli party leader Josef Kauandenge warns that Namibia could face an unprecedented El Niño phenomenon, which could severely affect farmers and livestock across the country.
The party says long-range international climate models point to a high probability of a historic El Niño developing towards the end of this year.
“Asoli strongly believes the government should be proactive in this regard by sharing with the public what measures will be taken to minimise the effect of this El Niño to our farmers across the country,” Kauandenge says.
He questions the government’s silence, saying it would be “suicidal” for the authorities to wait until the drought had already affected communities before responding.
Kauandenge urges the government to take the nation into its confidence and disclose the strategies being prepared to minimise the impact of the anticipated drought.
He says the urgency is heightened by the fact that this El Niño could arrive in less than a month, while many Namibians remain uninformed about its potential impact, particularly on livestock.
“As leader of government business in the parliament and the office that hosts the emergency unit, you owe this nation an update,” he says.
