In a shocking turn of events, Namibia's first female President, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, is confronted with her administration's first major scandal, as Minister Hengari faces multiple charges including rape and kidnapping.
Namibia's Agriculture Minister Dismissed Amid Rape Allegations
Namibia's Agriculture Minister Dismissed Amid Rape Allegations
Namibia's agriculture minister, Mac-Albert Hengari, has been removed from his position following serious allegations of rape and attempted bribery regarding a 16-year-old girl from five years ago.
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Namibia's agriculture minister, Mac-Albert Hengari, has been dismissed from his role by the country's president amid serious allegations of his involvement in a rape case dating back five years. The allegations involve a now 21-year-old woman who claims she was raped by Hengari when she was just 16.
Hengari was taken into custody after reportedly trying to bribe the victim to retract her statements. The 59-year-old minister denies any wrongdoing and has appeared in court where he was denied bail due to the potential risk of fleeing or influencing witnesses. His expected court date is set for 3 June.
This scandal brings significant scrutiny to President Nandi-Ndaitwah's first month in office and raises pressing questions about the vetting processes within her administration. The president's statement did not provide explicit reasons for Hengari's dismissal, although he is now also removed from the National Assembly. Hengari was nominated by Nandi-Ndaitwah’s party, Swapo, which has governed since Namibia's independence in 1990.
Critics, such as the opposition party Independent Patriots for Change, pointed to Hengari's arrest as indicative of a broader failure to address gender-based violence in the country. In 2022 alone, Namibia recorded over 4,800 cases of gender violence, highlighting an ongoing crisis that poses challenges to the government's promises of reform.
President Nandi-Ndaitwah, who had recently presented a cabinet acknowledged for its significant female representation, faces this controversy shortly after achieving a majority electoral victory, securing 58% of the vote in the previous election. The developments surrounding Hengari's arrest serve as a stark reminder of the complexities facing political leaders committed to gender equality in an environment plagued by systemic violence against women.
Namibia's agriculture minister, Mac-Albert Hengari, has been dismissed from his role by the country's president amid serious allegations of his involvement in a rape case dating back five years. The allegations involve a now 21-year-old woman who claims she was raped by Hengari when she was just 16.
Hengari was taken into custody after reportedly trying to bribe the victim to retract her statements. The 59-year-old minister denies any wrongdoing and has appeared in court where he was denied bail due to the potential risk of fleeing or influencing witnesses. His expected court date is set for 3 June.
This scandal brings significant scrutiny to President Nandi-Ndaitwah's first month in office and raises pressing questions about the vetting processes within her administration. The president's statement did not provide explicit reasons for Hengari's dismissal, although he is now also removed from the National Assembly. Hengari was nominated by Nandi-Ndaitwah’s party, Swapo, which has governed since Namibia's independence in 1990.
Critics, such as the opposition party Independent Patriots for Change, pointed to Hengari's arrest as indicative of a broader failure to address gender-based violence in the country. In 2022 alone, Namibia recorded over 4,800 cases of gender violence, highlighting an ongoing crisis that poses challenges to the government's promises of reform.
President Nandi-Ndaitwah, who had recently presented a cabinet acknowledged for its significant female representation, faces this controversy shortly after achieving a majority electoral victory, securing 58% of the vote in the previous election. The developments surrounding Hengari's arrest serve as a stark reminder of the complexities facing political leaders committed to gender equality in an environment plagued by systemic violence against women.
