About the Book — The Reformer’s Burden

The Reformer’s Burden: Governance by Design, Not Default — A Blueprint for Transforming Namibia’s State-Owned Enterprises is a powerful exposé and reform guide by Dr. Rauna Shipena, DM, one of Namibia’s leading governance specialists.

This groundbreaking book takes readers inside the hidden battles of Namibia’s State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) — where political interference, corruption, and weak oversight have cost the nation billions in lost opportunities. Drawing from real cases such as Meatco, Fishcor, Namcor, NSFAF, and TransNamib, Dr. Shipena reveals how reform is resisted, how reformers are silenced, and why governance failure is a national risk.

But this book is more than critique — it is a blueprint for change. Using frameworks such as King IV, NamCode, and OECD Guidelines, The Reformer’s Burden shows how Namibia can redesign governance structures to protect public wealth, empower reform champions, and rebuild trust.