Windhoek: Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare inaugurated the first session of the fourth Junior National Council in Windhoek on Monday, urging student parliamentarians from all 14 regions to be proactive in addressing key national issues. 'The Junior National Council is a project that affirms an important principle: that democracy is strengthened when young people are not only spoken about, but are given meaningful opportunities to speak for themselves,' he said.
According to Namibia Press Agency, the prime minister told the high school delegates that democratic governance is strengthened when young citizens can express their concerns and aspirations. 'You have been entrusted with the responsibility to deliberate, to listen, to disagree respectfully, to seek common ground, and, ultimately, to articulate the hopes and concerns of young Namibians,' Ngurare remarked.
He emphasised the session's theme, 'Towards Universal Access to Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene for Every Namibian Child', asserting that access to safe drinking water is a fundamental human right as outlined in Articles 6 and 95 of the Namibian Constitution, implemented through the Water Resources Management Act of 2013. He further stated that prioritising Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) is crucial for human dignity and aligns with the Human Development and Community Resilience goals of Namibia's Sixth National Development Plan (NDP6) aimed at Vision 2030.
The prime minister highlighted the government's commitment to enhancing water supply infrastructure in urban, peri-urban, and rural areas; increasing sanitation coverage; improving coordination within the WASH sector; promoting sanitation and hygiene; and ensuring affordable water access for disadvantaged households. 'That is why the theme you will deliberate upon during this Junior National Council is not separate from Namibia's national development agenda; it places you directly within one of the important development conversations our country must resolve as we approach 2030,' he stated.
Ngurare congratulated the newly elected leadership of the Junior National Council - chairperson Fritz Hangue, vice chairperson Loini Nangolo, chief whip Willem Abiatar, and deputy chief whip Etuhole Philemon. Ngurare charged the assembly with reviewing current policies, identifying implementation gaps, and proposing practical solutions for the community, and encouraged delegates to embrace regional diversity, engage in constructive debate, and leverage their experiences to effect positive change in their communities.
He also acknowledged international support for the youth initiative from Unicef and China, highlighting development commitments and WASH interventions linked to President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah's official visit to China in July 2026.