Namibia’s new Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Director-General, Dr Bryan Eiseb, has pledged to strengthen the fight against corruption through increased prevention efforts, closer cooperation between institutions and more frequent engagement with the media.
Eiseb made the commitment during his inaugural media briefing in Swakopmund on Tuesday, where he warned that corruption could undermine Namibia’s hopes of using its emerging oil and gas industry to reduce poverty and improve the lives of its people. Appointed for a five-year term that came into effect 1 October 2026, Eiseb said the country must intensify efforts to prevent corruption and ensure that national resources benefit all Namibians. “We believe that prevention is potentially the cure of corruption in Namibia,” he said.
Eiseb cautioned that corruption weakens institutions, undermines the rule of law, discourages investment and erodes public confidence in government. He said it also fuels inequality and threatens the delivery of essential public services. With growing attention on Namibia’s oil and gas prospects, he said corruption could derail the anticipated economic benefits if the risks associated with the sector were not properly addressed. “We all speak about oil and gas, we all speak about the potential of what it holds for us as a developing country,” Eiseb said, adding that corruption could undermine hopes of alleviating poverty. He identified public education as a key preventive measure, while stressing that the ACC must also respond to allegations through investigations and other enforcement efforts when prevention fails.
Eiseb said the fight against corruption could no longer be left to individual institutions working in isolation. Under his leadership, he intends to strengthen cooperation between the ACC, the Namibian Police, the Financial Intelligence Centre, the Office of the Prosecutor General and civil society. He said these institutions needed to work together to understand corruption trends, assess their implications and develop a coordinated response. “The days of a siloed institutional approach is long gone,” Eiseb said. He also committed the ACC to engaging the media more frequently to keep the public informed about corruption in the regions, government, public enterprises and the private sector.
Eiseb said journalists played an important role in exposing wrongdoing and bringing incidents of corruption to light, adding that cooperation with the media was essential to promoting transparency, accountability and integrity. Erongo Governor Dr Natalia /Goagoses welcomed Eiseb to the region and pledged continued cooperation with the ACC. /Goagoses said the region’s leadership, residents and community were prepared to extend the same support to Eiseb as they had to his predecessors.
She also highlighted the importance of investigative journalism in triggering formal investigations, audits and prosecutions. Citing examples from South Africa and Bulgaria, /Goagoses said media investigations had exposed alleged wrongdoing involving public officials and politicians, demonstrating the media’s role as a watchdog against corruption. She encouraged journalists to continue working ethically and professionally, saying credible reporting could help expose misconduct and strengthen accountability.
Goagoses expressed confidence that closer cooperation between the media and the ACC would produce positive results in promoting integrity in both the public and private sectors. Eiseb said the fight against corruption required the participation of every Namibian, including public servants, and called for collective responsibility in protecting national resources. He said the ACC would continue working with the media and other stakeholders to strengthen the country’s response to corruption.
By Sharlien Tjambari
