PDM Condemns Police Brutality During Recent Windhoek Protests
The Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) condemns reports of police brutality and excessive force during recent protests in Windhoek. Peaceful assembly is a constitutional right and an essential part of democratic life. When citizens gather to express concerns about public services, economic hardship, governance, or social justice, their voices must be heard rather than silenced through intimidation or violence.
The protection of public order cannot become a justification for unlawful arrests, beatings, threats, harassment, or the indiscriminate use of force. Law enforcement agencies have a duty to safeguard people, facilitate peaceful demonstrations, and respond to genuine risks with restraint and professionalism. The State must also ensure accountability whenever officers exceed their legal authority.
PDM stands with residents who exercise their civic rights peacefully. The party calls for an impartial investigation into the conduct of police officers during the protests, appropriate action where wrongdoing is established, and practical measures to prevent further abuses. Democratic stability depends on trust between communities and public institutions, and that trust cannot survive when accountability is absent.
Peaceful Assembly Is A Constitutional Right
The right to assemble, speak, petition, and participate in public affairs is central to Namibia’s constitutional democracy. Protests give communities a lawful means of bringing urgent issues to the attention of authorities, particularly when ordinary channels have failed to produce answers. A demonstration may be inconvenient for traffic or public administration, but inconvenience alone does not make peaceful protest unlawful.
Citizens should know the protections available to them and the responsibilities that accompany public assembly. PDM’s constitutional rights guide explains why constitutional literacy matters in everyday democratic participation. Understanding these rights helps residents engage confidently, recognise unlawful conduct, and demand remedies through appropriate institutions.
Restrictions on demonstrations must be lawful, necessary, proportionate, and applied without political discrimination. Authorities should communicate clearly with organisers, identify safety concerns before an event, and seek solutions that preserve both public order and the right to protest. A blanket assumption that demonstrators are disorderly undermines the constitutional principle that citizens are entitled to participate in national life.
Excessive Force Damages Public Trust
Police officers have a difficult responsibility. They may need to protect people from violence, prevent damage to property, or separate groups when a situation becomes dangerous. Those responsibilities, however, do not permit unlimited force. Any intervention must be guided by legality, necessity, proportionality, and respect for human dignity.
Allegations of police assault, arbitrary detention, use of projectiles against peaceful crowds, intimidation of journalists, or interference with medical assistance require urgent examination. The public should not be expected to accept official assurances without evidence, especially when injured people, witnesses, and civil society organisations describe events differently. Independent fact-finding is necessary to establish what happened and who was responsible.
The effects of excessive force extend beyond the immediate victims. Families may fear further participation in civic activities. Young people may conclude that government institutions do not respect them. Communities may become less willing to cooperate with police investigations or public safety initiatives. When an institution entrusted with protection is perceived as a source of danger, every future interaction becomes more difficult.
PDM therefore rejects the normalisation of police violence. Officers who act lawfully and professionally deserve public support, while officers who abuse their authority must face consequences. Protecting the integrity of the police service requires a clear distinction between legitimate law enforcement and misconduct carried out under the cover of official power.
Accountability Must Be Independent And Transparent
A credible response requires more than an internal review conducted behind closed doors. Investigations into alleged police brutality should be independent, prompt, transparent, and accessible to affected communities. Victims and witnesses must be protected from retaliation, and evidence such as video recordings, medical reports, arrest records, and radio communications should be preserved.
The Namibian Police Force should publish clear information about complaints received, arrests made, injuries reported, and disciplinary or criminal proceedings initiated. Such reporting must protect personal privacy while allowing the public to see whether allegations are being addressed seriously. Silence and delay create the impression that authorities are protecting institutions rather than seeking justice.
Accountability also includes access to legal representation and medical care. Individuals detained during protests should be informed of the reasons for their arrest, brought before a court within the required period, and treated humanely. Injured demonstrators must be able to obtain treatment without intimidation. Any person who suffered unlawful harm should have access to effective remedies, including compensation where appropriate.
Political leaders across the country should support a fact-based process rather than dismissing criticism as opposition politics. PDM’s position is grounded in democratic standards that must apply regardless of which party governs. Human rights are not privileges granted to supporters of one movement; they belong to every person in Namibia.
A Responsible Police Service Protects Democracy
Professional policing is compatible with strong public protest rights. In fact, the two reinforce each other. When demonstrations are managed with dialogue, clear planning, and restraint, communities are more likely to cooperate with lawful instructions. When authorities respond aggressively from the outset, tension rises and the likelihood of confrontation increases.
Police commanders should ensure that officers deployed to demonstrations are properly trained in crowd management, de-escalation, human rights, first aid, and communication with event organisers. Officers should wear clear identification and receive specific instructions on the permitted use of force. The use of firearms or other potentially lethal weapons in a crowd must remain subject to the strictest legal and operational controls.
Demonstration organisers also carry responsibilities. They should communicate routes and schedules where required, appoint marshals, discourage vandalism, and separate peaceful participants from anyone attempting to provoke violence. Public authorities must engage organisers in good faith rather than treating every protest as a security threat. A rights-based approach requires responsibilities from all sides, with the State carrying the greater duty because it possesses coercive power.
Civil society organisations, legal practitioners, health workers, journalists, and community leaders have important roles in documenting events and supporting affected residents. Their work should be protected, not obstructed. Accurate reporting helps prevent rumours, preserves evidence, and ensures that public debate is based on facts rather than propaganda.
Democratic Participation Must Include Young People
Many participants in public demonstrations are young Namibians confronting unemployment, inequality, high living costs, limited opportunities, and frustration with institutions. Their concerns should not be dismissed because of their age. Youth participation is a democratic asset, and public authorities should regard young people as stakeholders in national development rather than as a problem to be controlled.
The PDM Youth League has a role in encouraging informed, peaceful, and constructive civic engagement. Young citizens should be supported with information about constitutional rights, lawful organising, electoral participation, public budgeting, and available complaint mechanisms. This strengthens democratic culture and creates alternatives to frustration and disengagement.
Government must also address the underlying conditions that lead people into the streets. A police response cannot solve economic exclusion or a lack of public trust. Policies that expand decent work, improve education and training, strengthen local services, and tackle corruption are essential to reducing social tension. Namibia’s long-term development must protect people and natural resources together; PDM’s green economy policy outlines the importance of sustainable growth that creates opportunity and strengthens communities.
A democratic government should welcome criticism as information about the country’s condition. When leaders listen early, respond honestly, and explain decisions transparently, grievances are more likely to be resolved through dialogue. When citizens are ignored, peaceful protest may become the only visible route to recognition.
| Democratic Concern | Required Response | Public Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Alleged excessive force | Independent investigation and public reporting | Restores confidence in law enforcement |
| Arrests during demonstrations | Due process, legal access, and humane treatment | Protects constitutional rights |
| Risk of disorder | Dialogue with organisers and proportionate policing | Improves public safety |
| Injuries and property damage | Medical support, evidence preservation, and lawful remedies | Ensures accountability |
| Youth frustration | Civic education, employment opportunities, and inclusion | Strengthens social stability |
Immediate Measures For Authorities And Communities
The response to the Windhoek protests should focus on facts, remedies, and prevention. Authorities must avoid statements that prejudge investigations or portray all protesters as criminals. Communities, in turn, should reject violence, protect public facilities, and report misconduct through documented and lawful channels. A calm environment is necessary for justice to proceed.
PDM calls for the following measures:
- Establish an independent inquiry with powers to interview witnesses, obtain records, and preserve video evidence.
- Suspend officers accused of serious abuse from public-order duties while investigations are pending, without prejudging the final outcome.
- Provide legal assistance, medical support, and protection against retaliation for injured or detained demonstrators.
- Publish clear guidelines on crowd control, officer identification, arrest procedures, and the use of force.
- Create regular consultation forums between police commanders, community leaders, civil society, and protest organisers.
These measures should be implemented alongside stronger oversight of the police service and accessible complaints mechanisms. Parliament and relevant public institutions must exercise effective scrutiny, while the courts must remain able to review unlawful arrests, restrictions, and use of force. Oversight is not an attack on law enforcement; it is a safeguard for lawful policing.
Media freedom is equally important. Journalists and observers documenting public demonstrations must be able to work safely, and authorities should not confiscate equipment or obstruct reporting without lawful grounds. Independent coverage can expose abuses, correct false claims, and help the public understand the conduct of both officials and demonstrators.
The PDM will continue to advocate for governance that places dignity, transparency, and justice at the centre of public decision-making. Namibia’s democracy should be measured by how institutions treat the unpopular, the critical, and the politically powerless. Protecting protest rights today protects every community that may need to raise its voice tomorrow.
Namibians who witnessed misconduct or suffered harm should preserve relevant evidence, seek medical attention, record the names of witnesses, and contact trusted legal or civil society organisations. Those who organise demonstrations should prioritise safety, communicate clearly with authorities, and keep accurate records of incidents. Public participation is strongest when it is informed, peaceful, and persistent.
PDM urges the Government of Namibia and the police leadership to act without delay. Investigate the allegations, protect victims, publish the findings, and ensure that no officer is above the law. Citizens deserve a police service that protects their rights rather than threatens them, and Namibia deserves a democracy where peaceful protest leads to dialogue, accountability, and meaningful action.