Namibia’s president has sacked Agriculture Minister Mac-Albert Hengari after police opened investigations for alleged rape and kidnapping against him.
The Office of President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah confirmed Sunday, April 27 that Hengari had been relieved of his duties.
“By virtue of the powers vested in the President by Article 32(6) of the Constitution of the Republic of Namibia, President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has relieved Hon. Dr. Mac-Albert Hengari of his duties as Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform,” the statement read in part.
The office said that the termination of tenure takes effect from Wednesday, 23 April 2025 when Hengari should have tendered his resignation. “Hon. Hengari has also been withdrawn from the National Assembly.”
The Namibian reports that Hengari is under police investigations on 11 criminal charges, including rape and kidnapping.
A minor who has reportedly accused Hengari of raping her is currently under police custody due to suicidal thoughts.
According to Namibia’s National Police Spokesperson Kauna Shikwambi, Hengari is suspected to have raped the minor on several occasions between 2019 and September 2024.
The charges, Shikwambi says, range from; rape and kidnapping to defeating the course of justice, assault by threat, crimen injuria, abduction and abortion, administering substances in contravention of the Immoral Practices Act, pointing a firearm, supplying liquor to a minor, and assault.
The alleged victim is now 21 years. “The police have handed them (the woman, her mother and her baby) over to a social worker, because the victim in recent days developed some suicidal thoughts,” Namibian Police Inspector General Joseph Shikongo told Desert FM on Thursday.
President Nandi-Ndaitwah, the first woman to become president in the South African country, has led Namibia since March 2025. The main opposition party — Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) — criticised Nandi-Ndaitwah for appointing Hengari “despite a criminal investigation having allegedly been opened in November 2024”.
