Govt freezes most public service jobs amid budget crunch

The government has put filling most public service positions on ice because of budget constraints and concerns that there won’t be enough money to pay for them.

The Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) on Wednesday imposed a moratorium on the recruitment of new staff across all ministries, offices, and agencies until 31 March 2026.

The executive director of the OPM, Gladice Pickering, yesterday said the decision to freeze non-advertised positions in the public service was based on fiscal management considerations.

“The money will be finished at some point, then we have to wait for the next budget, and then we will continue filling. This is only for non-advertised positions.

Many of them are still in the pipeline and they will be filled,” she said.

Public Service Commission chairperson Salmaan Jacobs says freezing positions in the public service is not a new phenomenon.

“It has been coming for a long time . . . Budgetary constraints are the underlying factors,” he says.
The number of positions affected by the freeze remains unclear.

Executive director of public service management in the OPM Tuyakula Haipinge says each ministry is responsible for its own figures.

“It is a general directive to say that if you have not advertised, don’t advertise,” she says.

This decision was endorsed during the 24th Cabinet meeting held on 7 October and communicated through a directive issued by secretary to Cabinet Emilia Mkusa on 15 October.

“I am writing to inform you that the 24th (2025) Cabinet meeting… endorsed various recommendations aimed at improving the Namibian economy,” the directive notes.

It does not have an impact on critical roles in the health and education sectors, Mkusa says, adding that the positions that have already been cleared and advertised are also not affected.

The minister of finance is expected to table the midterm budget review next week.

The 2025/26 national budget, tabled earlier this year under the theme: ‘Beyond 35: For a Prosperous Future’, focuses on stimulating economic development, expanding social protection programmes, and empowering the youth.

Despite this, the country’s fiscal space remains under pressure.

Interest payments are projected to reach N$13.7 billion, accounting for 14.8% of total revenues and 4.9% of the gross domestic product (GDP).

The total debt stock ratio is expected to decline slightly to 62% of GDP, but the budget deficit has widened to N$12.8 billion, up from N$9.8 billion last year.

The government is also repaying the International Monetary Fund Rapid Financing Instrument, amounting to N$2.3 billion in 2025/26 and a final N$1.2 billion in 2026/27.

Over 80% of the debt will remain in local currency to limit exchange rate risks.

Government expenditure for 2025/26 has been projected at N$106.3 billion, a 4.9% increase from the previous year.

Fund allocations include N$780 million to expand health infrastructure, N$200 million for new stadiums, N$200 million for basic sport facilities, and N$2.7 billion for transport infrastructure, including rail and rural road upgrades.

Trade Union Congress of Namibia secretary general Mahongora Kavihuha has expressed cautious support for the freeze, noting that the exemption for health and education is a welcomed decision.

“But they should expedite the recruitment processes in the education and health ministries.

They are very slow in recruiting,” Kavihuha says.

“We are also urging the government, especially the Presidency, to embrace the culture of dialogue.

We’re not saying we want to interfere in Cabinet decisions, but sometimes it is appropriate for trade unions to be consulted.

We have proposals to offer,” he says.

Rally for Democracy and Progress president Mike Kavekotora says he is concerned about the approach taken by the government.

“They cannot just take that decision either because there is no money or because of lack of proper planning, because with that you might find that some of the occupied positions are the ones that are completely useless compared to the ones that have not been filled.

I am sure there was no planning that went into this before that decision was taken. If you don’t plan, what you get is junk.”

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