Leader of the National Democratic Party and MP Martin Lukato has called on the new administration to reaffirm its promise of increasing the old-age pension grant.

Lukato delivered his maiden address in the National Assembly today. 

Lukato, a former police officer and ex-UN envoy with United Nations peacekeeping missions, said the promise to raise the grant from the current N$1,600 is not enough.

He advocated for N$3,000 old-age pension grant in the 2025/2026 financial year, rising annually over the next two fiscal years to N$5,000 eventually.

To tackle crime, corruption and illicit financial flows, which Lukato said weaken institutions, he called for full digital integration of financial oversight institutions, including the Financial Intelligence Centre, NamRa, the ACC and the Namibian Police, through a National Anti-Financial Crimes Task Force.

Lukato raised other concerns, including the resurgence of malaria, particularly in the Kavango East, Zambezi and Ohangwena regions, as well as the matter of food security, which he described as an area of immense potential, if plagued by chronic underperformance.