by Liam Upton | Jul 2, 2015 | News
The Namibian Minister for Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare, Zephania Kameeta, has confirmed in an interview that his government is ‘strongly considering’ a Basic Income grant, adding that his ministry is in the process of finalising a concept paper on the issue.
Kameeta is a longtime proponent of Basic Income and former chairperson of the Namibian BIG Coalition. He was appointed Minister for Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare in March this year, sparking hopes among Basic Income advocates of progress towards its implementation.
However, the Minister did not make clear whether this would be Basic Income, i.e. an unconditional, universal payment, or if it would be restricted to the poor and/or those not on other government benefits, a policy known by the similar title, Guaranteed Minimum Income. The Minister has previously advocated giving grants only to those below 60 who earn below the tax threshold of N$50,000, leading to some confusion. Kameeta said his ministry was in the process of finalising a paper on the issue, which will probably clarify those questions.
The Namibian BIG Coaltion has challenged the Minister and President Hage Geingob to introduce a Basic Income of N$200, with newly elected chairperson, Wilfred Diergaardt, arguing that it would cost only 5 to 6% of the national budget to do so. The Coalition previously ran a Basic Income experiment in the Otjivero-Omitara district, with very positive reported results.
For more information, see:
Jemima Buekes, “Govt ‘strongly considering’ basic income grant”, Namibian Sun, 29 June 2015
by BIEN | Jun 27, 2015 | News
The Minister of Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare of Namibia, has come out in criticism of Namibia’s current economic model based on self-interest and profit in favor of the Blue Economy, an economic philosophy centered around social and environmental justice. Kameeta, who was appointed by President Hage Geingob with the goal of tackling poverty head-on and narrowing the gap between the rich and poor, is advocating for the Basic Income Grant (BIG). Kameeta’s program would provide a universal minimum income allowance be paid to any person not above 60 years of age who is not earning above the tax threshold (currently N$ 50,000 per year) and is not receiving any other government grant, such as disability grant, maintenance grant or war veteran grant. Namibia experimented with the BIG from 2008-2009 by providing recipients a monthly grant of N$100. Kameeta renewed his support for the BIG and criticized Namibia’s economic model during the Blue Economy Conference in Windhoek on April 27-28 2015.
For more information on Bishop Kameeta’s advocacy for the BIG, see:
“Calls to review Namibia’s economic model” The Southern Times. May 11, 2015.
by Stanislas Jourdan | Mar 24, 2015 | News
Former bishop Zephania Kameeta and prominent advocate for basic income was just appointed Minister of a new Ministry for Poverty Alleviation.
A new hope that basic income will eventually be implemented by the government is raising in Namibia as the newly elected President Hage Geingob has committed to fight poverty and has designated former bishop of the Lutheran Church of Namibia and longtime basic income supporter Zephania Kameeta as minister of a new Ministry Department solely dedicated to Poverty Alleviation.
The new President Hage Geingob won the presidential elections with 87% of the vote on 28 November 2014. He belongs to the ruling Center-left SWAPO party which also won the parliamentary elections with a comfortable 80% majority.
Zephania Kameeta is known to be one of the pioneers of the Basic Income Grant (BIG) Coalition which started a worldwide known basic income experiment in the rural town of Otjivero in 2007. He even influenced the German Protestant Church in their move in support for basic income, BIEN Germany’s Ronald Blaschke reminded in a recent blog post. Kameeta has repeatedly pushed the government to step forward the idea.
Namibia’s new president, Hage Geingob is also one of the few leaders of the country who is interested in basic income. He openly supported the idea when he was Trade and Industry Minister and was among the first persons to donate to the BIG pilot project fund in August 2007.
“Poverty is a curse, I would therefore like government to take up the proposal of the Council of Churches of Namibia and pay out a basic income grant to all Namibians who do not have a source of income,” Geingob said in the National Assembly in 2007.
Although no announcement has been yet made about basic income by the new government, the political moves foster hope that BIG might be a step closer to becoming a national reality in Namibia. The idea already seems to show strong support among its citizenry, with more than 78% of Namibians supporting the idea of the Basic Income Grant, a recent opinion poll concluded.
Uhuru Dempers, a development activist who campaigns for BIG, told national media New Era that a ministry for poverty eradication is a positive development. “We hope that with the coming on board of Kameeta, there will be a debate on BIG as one of the models of addressing poverty,” said Dempers.
Credit picture: CC The Lutheran World Federation
by Karl Widerquist | Nov 29, 2014 | News
Nearly 8 out of 10 Namibians (78%) favor a Basic Income Grant (BIG—as unconditional basic income is known in the region) for every Namibian citizen according to a recent poll. This result is probably the highest level of support for Basic Income recorded in any representative poll in any country. Most respondents still favored BIG even if it required raising taxes or introducing new taxes. Despite the popularity of BIG, the ruling party remains opposed to it. Despite the ruling party’s opposition to BIG, the ruling party remains popular.
"The Swapo Youth League (SPYL) secretary, Dr Elijah Ngurare, says if every Namibian stood to benefit from the economic wealth of the country equitably there would be no need for calls for subventions such as the Basic Income Grant (BIG)." -New Era
The poll results came from round six of Afrobarometer opinion poll, which interview 1,200 adults all across the country during the period between 27 August and 19 September 2014. The sixth round survey is for the period between 2014 and 2015 covering up to 35 African countries. Survey Warehouse and the Institute for Public Policy Research conducted the Afrobarometer survey in Namibia.
For more information see:
Kuzeeko Tjitemisa, “Namibians craving for BIG – report.” New Era, November 19, 2014.
New Era, “Unequal income fuels BIG calls – Ngurare.” New Era, October 14, 2014.
Institute for Public Policy Research, “New Release: Namibians express strong policy prefe4rences in comparison to the government.” Windhoek, Namibia. 18 November, 2014.
by Jenna van Draanen | Jul 30, 2014 | News
A basic income pilot project, originally implemented in 2008, has just been re started. The project in the Otjivero-Omitara settlement of the Steinhausen Constiuency in Namibia had been providing all residents living in the settlement since 2007 with $100 per person per month, without any conditions attached. The initial pilot program stopped in June 2013, when the funds provided by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Republic of Namibia were depleted.
Now, with funding from the Waldensian Church, basic income payments of $100 per person per month have been re-instated for residents of the settlement. Three rounds of monthly payments have already been released this year, and the program is expected to have enough funding to continue until April 2015.
For more information on the return of the program, see:
The Namibian, “BIG resumes at Otjivero”. The Namibian, July 17, 2014.
Rev. Wilfred Diergaardt “Press Release” BIG Coalition Namibia, July 15, 2014
