Congressional lawmaker and former executive chairman of former National Youth Council (NYC) Sharonise Bush, cast full support behind the 2025/26 national budget, describing it as a “manifesto of progress.”
She said that budgets could fundamentally change the lives of ordinary Namibians – if they embraced vision and courage.
Speaking to her maiden this week to the National Assembly, Bush praised Finance Minister Erika Shahuda and her team for creating budgets that address key sectors such as youth development, agriculture, healthcare and sports.
“This spending bill is not just numbers on the page. It’s a pledge to people. It gives birth to a track for infrastructure, cultural revitalization, entrepreneurship and economic justice,” Bush said.
She welcomed the important interventions outlined in the bill. These include supporting livestock farmers through the Equalization Fund, revitalizing positive action loan schemes, and doubling the allocation of the youth sector by agencies such as the National Youth Council and National Youth Services.
“Food security is sovereignty,” she said, highlighting the need for Namibia to grow food while supporting local producers. “Doubling your youth-related funds is not a favor, it’s a long commitment for a long time.”
Congress also praised the N$450 million allocation to the sports sector, noting that sports must be recognized “not just as play, but as a profession, platform and pride.”
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Young SWAPO politicians also welcomed the N$780 million investment allocated to healthcare infrastructure and sought urgent clearance of bureaucratic hurdles delaying service delivery.
“Our people deserve a hospital that heals, not a crowd hall,” Bush said.
While firmly supporting the budget bill, she warned that its true impact will depend on how efficiently and empathetic it is implemented.
“This bill has the potential to change lives, if we try to order it well,” she said.
Beyond financial issues, Bush used her maiden speech to reflect on her personal journey, from child speakers in the Children’s Congress to full-fledged lawmakers, celebrating the giants who shaped her path, including the late Theo-Ben Gurirab, Dr Hage Geingob and Mandela Kapere.
She reminded fellow lawmakers, citing George Bernard Shaw.
She then urged the home to empathize, courage and people-centered leadership to embrace their sacred duties.
“The intersection is here, and the choices are ours.
Will we shape Namibia, inclusive, fair and united in its prosperity? Or will history be able to choose for us? ”
