Security removes journalist from Namibia presidential event

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 3 February 2026 |  JP Global Monitoring

Journalist Jemima Beukes was removed from Namibia's State House after she questioned President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah about relatives entering the oil sector. Media unions and opposition parties called the action intimidation and a threat to press freedom.

Summary

WINDHOEK, Namibia — Journalist Jemima Beukes was escorted out of Namibia’s State House on Monday after she attempted to question President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah about public concerns that members of her family were moving into the nation’s oil sector, according to local reporting.

Beukes, a freelance journalist and founder of the independent news outlet The Whistle, said she was removed by security personnel, had a colleague’s phone confiscated, and was photographed and threatened with arrest after asking the question at the opening of the first Cabinet meeting of the year.

Namibia’s presidency defended the actions of security, saying questions must be asked through designated channels and that established protocol must be respected inside the State House. A statement from the president’s press secretary said the president values engagement with the media but that institutional processes and orderly conduct must be maintained, particularly in secure environments.

Reaction from media and unions

The Namibia Media Professionals Union condemned the removal and subsequent intimidation of Beukes as a chilling escalation in the erosion of media freedom in the country, saying treating a reporter as a security threat for asking a question was inappropriate and undermined constitutional guarantees for freedom of expression and the press. Opposition political parties and civil society groups also criticized the incident, warning it could set a troubling precedent for press access to public officials.

Namibia has historically been seen as a stronghold of press freedom in Africa. Still, recent developments have raised concerns about increasing political interference and restrictions on independent journalism, including declines in press freedom rankings and other disputes involving journalists.

WHY THIS MATTERS: The removal of a journalist from a presidential venue for asking a question highlights ongoing challenges to press access and freedom, even in countries with constitutional protections. For Pakistani media professionals, this underscores the importance of safeguarding journalists’ rights to question public officials and maintain transparency, and it suggests lessons for newsroom strategies in protecting reporters and pushing back against intimidation.

ATTRIBUTION: Reporting in this story is based on coverage from The Namibian and related local news sources.

PHOTO: AI-generated; for illustrative purposes only.