Otjomuise:President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has spearheaded an initiative to tackle the housing crisis in Namibia by personally sponsoring two prefabricated houses, each valued at N$200,000, to demonstrate affordable and practical housing solutions for ordinary Namibians. These houses were handed over to beneficiaries in 8ste Laan in Otjomuise and Kilimanjaro in Katutura.

According to Namibia Press Agency, the President funded these houses as part of an effort to verify the viability of an alternative housing model. The initiative was spearheaded by Yambuka Housing, which promotes prefabricated structures as an affordable option for those living in informal settlements.

Nandi-Ndaitwah expressed her admiration for Yambuka Housing's approach, which offers low-cost housing that can be built in a short timeframe. She emphasized that the purpose of the initial sponsorship was to prove the model's feasibility and encourage others to adopt similar solutions.

Housing remains a national priority under Namibia's Sixth National Development Plan and the Swapo Party election manifesto. The country currently faces a shortfall of approximately 500,000 housing units. The government aims to construct 10,000 houses annually from 2025 to 2030, with a total of 50,000 homes projected by the end of Nandi-Ndaitwah's administration.

The President called on stakeholders to collaborate on addressing the housing shortage and urged relevant authorities to ensure that prefabricated houses meet necessary standards. She stressed that alternative housing solutions should not be dismissed due to their unconventional nature.