•    Resignation analyzed
•    Speculated to have left Nam
•    Opposition claim red flag

By Stefanus Nashama

SWAPO Party deputy secretary-general Uahekua Herunga has downplayed the resignation of James Mnyupe, Namibia’s Green Hydrogen commissioner, insisting that “there is nothing special” about his departure from the multimillion-dollar energy programme.
Mnyupe, who was handpicked by the late President Hage Geingob to spearhead Namibia’s ambitions of becoming a global green hydrogen hub, is said to have tendered his resignation amid growing frustrations. 
Sources point to a lack of support from the current administration and political interference as possible triggers for his sudden exit. 
However, Herunga brushed-off the drama.
“I do not see anything special about his resignation. He is a Namibian with the right to resign if he feels uncomfortable with the job. There are also many Namibians who resigned from their positions before Mnyupe,” Herunga told Confidente.
The ruling party politician further dismissed allegations that the Green Hydrogen Programme is a political gimmick.
“Like what former President Hifikepunye Pohamba once said, if Namibians cannot see development for any programme, they can sack it. Let us wait and see what the Green Hydrogen Programme will bring.”

CONCERNS
Other political parties, however, view Mnyupe’s resignation as a red flag for the project’s future.
Landless People’s Movement (LPM) spokesperson Lifalaza Simataa said the move exposes a deeper problem within SWAPO’s governance style, citing inconsistency. “Every head of State from SWAPO abandons projects created by their predecessors. What is hailed as a game-changer under one administration is dumped under the next. This is a failure to plan long term or to stay consistent,” Simataa charged.
He warned that the Green Hydrogen Programme could lose momentum, likening it to other ambitious projects that fizzled out.
“Is this not a sign that it was a tool by the ruling party administration or is it that they realized it would not yield the promised results and now silently want to move away?” he asked.

EYEBROWS RAISED
Namibia Economic Freedom Fighters (NEFF) deputy leader Longinus Kalimbo Iipumbu went further, suggesting that Mnyupe may have already left the country.
“Where is he now? I do not even think he is in Namibia. He might already be in Tanzania,” Iipumbu speculated.
He said government should tread carefully when appointing leaders for critical national programmes like green hydrogen.
“When we talk about these things, people think we are against the government. We are not. We only tell the truth.”

SILENCE
The Affirmative Repositioning (AR) movement chose not to weigh in, with spokesperson George Kambala saying: “None at the moment.”
Meanwhile, Green Hydrogen Programme spokesperson Jona Musheko refused to shed light on Mnyupe’s resignation, only saying the public will be informed when the right time comes. “We will not be able to answer to specific questions. When the right time comes, we shall inform the public accordingly,” said Musheko. Mnyupe did not respond to questions sent to him.

at Stake
Mnyupe’s resignation raises tough questions for Namibia’s much-hyped green hydrogen ambitions. Since his appointment in 2021 as the country’s first Green Hydrogen Commissioner, he has been the face of Namibia’s bold renewable energy vision, securing financing, shaping strategy, and positioning the nation as a green industrial hub. The stakes are high: The Hyphen project alone is projected to create 15,000 construction jobs and 3,000 permanent positions.  Government estimates point to 26,000 green industrial jobs by 2030, with the potential to hit 250,000 under a fully developed synthetic fuels strategy. Now, with Mnyupe’s abrupt exit, the question looms if Namibia’s green dream will survive the political storms surrounding it.