Namibian soldiers sent on leave as cash shortage hits government

Thousands of Namibian soldiers at seven military bases will be sent on leave next month due to the army’s shortage of funds for their feeding and utility expenses.

Soldiers who are currently on a holiday have also been asked not to report to work, the privately owned Namibian newspaper reports.

This forms part of moves by the government to rein in expenditure as the country is currently going through a financial crisis.

Namibian President Hage Geingob on Wednesday announced that he has banned public officials from all foreign business travel.

“No request for outbound travel by ministers, deputy ministers and other political office bearers will be considered until after the end of February,” a statement from the presidency stated.

The president has so far stopped using the presidential jet and recently flew to the African Union summit in Ethiopia in a scheduled commercial flight. He vowed to attend only essential foreign trips, and with smaller delegations.

Namibia’s economy is heavily dependent on mineral exports – uranium and diamonds. However, global price contraction in the commodity market is said to have affected its main exports and this has contributed to severe budget cuts.