Interview: Youth Must Own NDP 6, Says NUY’s Tjipura

Tjipura Tjipura from Namibia United Youth (NUY), an umbrella body for youth-led organisations, has called on Namibian youth to take charge of the country’s development trajectory by critically engaging with the newly launched National Development Plan 6 (NDP 6).

Speaking ahead of a virtual youth dialogue set for  today, 24 July at 2pm, Tjipura said it is essential for young people to examine whether NDP 6 reflects their lived realities and aspirations, especially as it forms the final policy phase before the realisation of Vision 2030.

“As young people, we are not just recipients of policy—we are drivers of change,” he said. “NDP 6 is our opportunity to shape Namibia’s future. We need to ask the hard questions: Does it speak to youth unemployment, inequality, or poverty?”

The discussion, hosted by NUY via Google Meet, will bring together youth between 18 and 35 to unpack the themes, goals, and implementation framework of NDP 6. According to Tjipura, this is about enabling youth-led interpretation of national plans and ensuring that young people are not excluded from shaping the policies that affect them most.

“We can’t afford to be spectators anymore,” he added. “This dialogue is just the beginning of a youth-centred approach to national development.”

The event is free and open to the public.