Challenges in Road Maintenance in Namibia
Potholes across Namibia’s urban roads are deepening, highlighting a growing crisis in road maintenance. The root of the problem lies in underfunding and a centralized control system that leaves local authorities struggling to manage their infrastructure effectively. This issue has sparked concerns among local officials who feel they lack the necessary resources and autonomy to maintain their roads.
The Namibia Association of Local Authority Officials (Nalao), which represents executives from municipalities and related urban governments, has raised these concerns. According to Nalao’s president, Moses Matyayi, the current system places too much control in the hands of the Road Fund Administration (RFA) and the Roads Authority (RA). This concentration of power, he argues, undermines the ability of local authorities to manage their own road maintenance budgets.
Matyayi explains that the RFA and RA have been dominant in the road maintenance space, often sidelining local councils. This arrangement, he says, prevents local authorities from building the necessary capacity to handle their infrastructure needs. Without adequate funding for equipment and staff, it is unrealistic to expect optimal performance from local authorities.
Funding and Responsibility
The RFA chief executive, Ali Iipinge, clarifies that the administration is not obligated to support urban areas with road maintenance. He states that the procedures, responsibilities, and processes are outlined in agreements with local authorities. “They set their priorities, planning, and procurement. The RFA comes in to support them and contribute towards these priorities and programmes,” Iipinge says. However, he emphasizes that the RFA does not dictate these to them.
Iipinge notes that funding is managed, disbursed, and controlled in line with the RFA Act, and local authorities remain responsible for urban road maintenance under the Local Authorities Act. He also mentions that the RFA has requested government support in April to address flood-related road damage and is still awaiting a response.
If this support is received, the full funding will be deployed to address road maintenance and rehabilitation backlogs in local authority areas and on national roads. Investment in dual carriageways and highways is typically funded by the government as part of medium- to long-term roads masterplans.
Urgent Need for Funding
The RFA has highlighted an urgent need for N$1.3 billion to fix roads ahead of the rainy season. Iipinge warns that if this is not addressed, existing potholes will worsen, leading to higher maintenance costs for vehicle owners. To meet future financing gaps, the RFA is considering adjusting road user charges or introducing tolling.
Currently, the RFA requires about N$7 billion annually to meet its expenditure needs, but it only received about N$4.1 billion for the current financial year. There is also a maintenance and rehabilitation backlog of N$4.5 billion for the 2025/26 financial year.
Sidelined Local Authorities
Matyayi argues that the current structure allows both the RFA and RA to dominate the road maintenance space, at the expense of local councils. This arrangement sidelines local authorities from strengthening their engineering and maintenance departments. He stresses that without proper funding, local authorities cannot build the necessary capacity.
Under the current tripartite arrangement, the RFA provides funds, while the RA appoints contractors and manages projects on behalf of municipalities. While this model has yielded some success in places like Rundu, Matyayi believes local authorities should be allowed to appoint engineers and oversee projects directly. He suggests that providing conditions for employing engineers at a certain level could help build technical expertise and retain accountability for road works.
Managing Funds and Future Concerns
Matyayi raises the question of how any new funding would be managed. For instance, if Windhoek receives N$300 million, would it be deployed to local authorities, or would it be managed by the RFA through the RA? This uncertainty highlights the need for transparency and clear guidelines in fund allocation.
A recent road maintenance assessment saw 14 local authorities submit costing reports amounting to N$653 million to the RA to quantify rain-related road damage. This data underscores the scale of the challenge facing local authorities.