The Namibian President’s Office has come under scrutiny after the auditor general revealed it failed to account for over N$4 million in travel, accommodation, and subsistence expenses during the 2023/24 financial year.
Auditor General Junias Kandjeke, in his latest report, issued a qualified audit opinion against the presidency, citing missing records, questionable payments, and unauthorised spending. The Office of the President had been allocated a budget of N$956.6 million for the year under review.
Among the red flags, the report highlights a double payment of nearly N$1 million (N$998,288), unauthorised payments covering accommodation and meals of a non-government employee during a Paris trip, and unexplained withdrawals of foreign currency on presidential missions.
Kandjeke further revealed that during a trip to Russia, a credit card holder received US$5,000 (N$89,850) but failed to account for N$17,970 unspent funds, with no deposit proof provided.
The audit also uncovered gratuity payments totaling N$93,180 made to security and protocol staff, but without signatures to confirm authenticity. Shockingly, some payments were approved in April 2024, long after trips had already been undertaken the previous year.
“The lack of clear policy or guidelines regulating the use of credit cards continues to expose the presidency to irregular expenditure,” Kandjeke warned.
The report also flagged outstanding travel advances of N$299,957, noting that claims submitted were far less than the funds disbursed, with no immediate recovery measures taken.
The revelations are expected to trigger public debate and possibly parliamentary scrutiny, as the presidency faces mounting questions on financial accountability.
