Ministry of Urban and Rural Development

07/06/2026

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05/06/2026

Windhoek – Today, 5 June 2026, a delegation from the Karibib Town Council paid a courtesy visit to the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development to discuss development opportunities, planned activities and challenges facing the town.
The delegation, led by the Mayor of Karibib, His Worship Cllr Dewey van Wyk, held engagements with the Ministry's Executive Director, Dr. Wilhelmine Shivute, and the management team.
During the meeting, the Mayor highlighted several challenges facing the town, including insufficient budget allocations to address critical service delivery needs. These include the upgrading of the sewage system, the implementation of prepaid water meters, and the construction of an SME park to support local economic development.
Also in attendance were Ms. Christella Mwenyo, Deputy Executive Director of Human Settlement Development; Ms. Frieda Andreas, Director of the Regional and Local Government and Traditional Authorities Coordination; and Mr. Godwin Sikabongo, Acting Deputy Executive Director for the Subnational Government and Traditional Authorities Affairs and other senior officials in the Ministry.
The Mayor was accompanied by the Chairperson of the Management Committee, Councillor Tienus Bamm; the Chief Executive Officer of Karibib Town Council, Tangeni Enkono; and members of the Karibib Town Council management team. fans Karibib Town

01/06/2026

01/06/2026

Congratulations and welcome to the team.

26/05/2026

HAPPY RETIREMENT
Today, the management and staff members of the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development officially bid farewell to Ms. Ester Joseph following her retirement from public service.
Ms. Joseph served as a Senior Administrative Officer and was praised by colleagues for her dedication, professionalism, and commitment throughout her years of service. Staff members described her as a hardworking and dependable colleague who carried out her duties with pride and dignity.
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26/05/2026

WINDHOEK - The President of the Namibia Institute of Town and Regional Planners (NITRP), Ms. Geraldine van Rooi, today held a meeting with the Executive Director of Urban and Rural Development, Dr. Wilhelmine Shivute, and Deputy Executive Director, Mrs. Christela Mwenyo.
The meeting focused on introducing the new board members of the Namibia Institute of Town and Regional Planners and discussing the board’s strategic priorities for 2025–2028.
Dr. Shivute said the productive engagement was necessary and should continue to support the country’s development in the area of town planning.

fans Namibia Institute of Town and Regional Planners

23/05/2026

ELIM - The Deputy Minister of Urban and Rural Development Hon. Evelyn !Nawases-Taeyele has described the Omagongo Festival as a symbol of pride, empowerment, and cultural unity among Namibians.
Speaking during the Omagongo Festival in Elim, Omusati Region on 23 May 2026, the Deputy Minister said the festival continue to strengthen cultural unity since its inception.
She noted that the role of the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development extends beyond economic and infrastructure development to include the preservation of cultural heritage. According to Hon. !Nawases-Taeyele, culture and development are closely linked, as preserving traditions fosters a sense of belonging while also creating opportunities for social and economic growth.
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23/05/2026

The Deputy Minister of Urban and Rural Development, Hon. Evelyn !Nawases-Taeyele, is attending the Omagongo Festival underway at Uukwambi Royal Palace in Omusati Region, where she will deliver remarks and introduce the keynote speaker, Her Excellency Dr. Netumbo Nandi Ndaitwah, President of the Republic of Namibia.
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22/05/2026

KATIMA MULILO - The Deputy Minister of Urban and Rural Development Hon. Evelyn!Nawases-Taeyele, has called on local leaders and Firefighters to safeguard Firefighting equipment and ensure they are being used for their intended purposes.

The Deputy Minister made this remarks during the commemoration of the International Firefighters’ Day, in Katima Mulilo on 21 May 2026. In her remarks, Hon. !Nawases-Taeyele, emphasised that in both urban and rural settings, fire safety presents unique challenges and that exercise such as the SimEx exercise are crucial for creating resilient neighborhoods in order to reduce the impact of fire-related incidents.

The Deputy Minister however stated that with great concern she has observed that some local authorities have not yet employed permanent fire fighters and in some instance, emergency vehicles are being operated by untrained personnel and with no proper care for such assets.

“It has also come to my attention that some of the firefighting equipment are being used for unintended purposes and in some cases these valuable equipment are exposed to prolonged burning by the sun and other extreme
weather conditions, which is detrimental to the equipment life span. I therefore, urge you as local leaders and Firefighters alike, to make sure
that those government properties are handled and managed properly, with utmost care and that they are in the hands of well-trained personnel,” Hon. !Nawases-Taeyele.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Frederika Shigwedha, President of the of the Namibia Emergency Services Institute (NESI) in her remarks called on leaders to reflect on the challenges firefighters are faced with, fire brigades operating with inadequate and outdated equipment, limited training opportunities and a shortage of trained personal in localities.

She further removed that the increasing natural and man made accidents witnessed all over Namibia, demonstrate that Namibia should move beyond simply reacting to disasters and place greater emphasis on preparedness and capacity building.
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21/05/2026

Paying respect

Today, the Deputy Minister of Urban and Rural Development Hon. Evelyn !Nawases-Taeyele alongside the Governor of Zambezi Region Hon. Dorothy Kabula, Laid a wreath at the Katima Mulilo Fire station in honour of Firefighters who lost their lives on duty.

Hon. !Nawases-Taeyele paid tribute during the commemoration of the International Firefighters Day held in Katima Mulilo.

The International Firefighters’ Day is commemorated annually on the 4th of May.

Speaking on behalf of firefighters across the country, Mariental Fire Station Chief Fire Officer Dirk Cloete stressed that Fire services can no longer remain a forgotten emergency service in Namibia, calling on leaders to intervene.