President orders NCIS to screen 360 health officials

President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has ordered the Namibia Central Intelligence Service to run background checks on about 360 health ministry officials following allegations of fraud and corruption.

The officials are mostly from the Ministry of Health and Social Services’ pharmaceutical services directorate at the Central Medical Stores, which has been rocked with allegations that government employees colluded with Namibian tenderpreneurs to rig medical tenders and manipulate orders worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

The president’s directive was conveyed by minister in the Presidency Charles Mubita to health minister Esperance Luvindao. The same message was later communicated to the Namibia Central Intelligence Service (NCIS) by executive director of health and social services Penda Ithindi.

In a letter dated 27 April, Mubita says the president has reviewed the staffing structure of the Directorate of Pharmaceutical Services and recommended broader vetting of personnel at key facilities.

“The president reviewed the attached staff complement of the Directorate Pharmaceutical Services as at April 2026,” Mubita says in the letter.

He adds that the president directed that screening should not be limited to selected posts – considering an ongoing investigation in the same sector.