The President of the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC), Panduleni Itula, said the government and Namibians at large have an equal responsibility to create and maintain a conducive environment for foreign investment to flourish.
Dr. Itula has cautioned against political pronouncements that, he says, could deter foreign investment.
The IPC leader's comments follow a consultative meeting with President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah and senior government officials at State House.
Dr. Itula warned that Namibia's reputation as an investment destination could be at risk due to what he terms political rhetoric.
"Careless statements will chase everybody away. And those people being chased away mean jobs lost for our people, more poverty, and more hunger. They are also a loss to our social services funds that help us build excellent schools and healthcare facilities in this country. If anyone has travelled this country as much as I have, they would have seen the devastating consequences of economic policies that lacked broad political support."
Dr. Itula said the government's recent proposal for a 51-percent ownership stake in all new mining ventures lacks clarity.
"It was not clear whether it refers to the capital investment we need to own or the infrastructure. Take, for example, the Husab Mine – it was purchased for about two billion and renovated with over three billion, totalling roughly five billion Namibian dollars. That translates to around 45 billion Namibian dollars. Our national budget was estimated at 106 billion, and we are currently facing a shortfall of 13 billion."
However, President Nandi-Ndaitwah recently clarified her administration's policies, including efforts to promote local value addition, during a discussion at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, United States.
Nandi-Ndaitwah explained that criteria for foreign investment are not intended to discourage investors but are guided by national priorities and needs.
"Foreign investment is governed by the same laws. For us, we are looking at investments that address our needs and complement our policies and Constitution. Those are the qualifications for who can invest in Namibia, and where partnerships are involved, they should be true partnerships between investors and the Namibian people."
As Namibia seeks to redefine resource ownership and investment frameworks, the balance between safeguarding national interests and sustaining investor confidence will likely remain a central theme in President Nandi-Ndaitwah's engagements with opposition parties, as announced during her maiden State of the Nation Address.