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President appoints Shali Shindume as economic advisor

President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has appointed Shali Shindume as her economic advisor, effective 1 June 2026. The Presidency announced the appointment on Monday. Nandi-Ndaitwah expressed confidence in Shindume’s ability to carry out his responsibilities with professionalism, dedication, efficiency and effectiveness. Shindume will provide guidance on economic matters aimed at supporting government priorities and national development objectives.
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Amutse puts all fuel eggs in Vitol’s basket …Govt burns through N$1bn to keep fuel prices down

Amutse puts all fuel eggs in Vitol’s basket …Govt burns through N$1bn to keep fuel prices down

Renthia Kaimbi The Ministry of Industries, Mines and Energy has directed all fuel companies in Namibia to source their bulk petrol and diesel exclusively from Vitol between July and September 2026.  This decision has raised questions about procurement transparency and potential conflicts of interest. In a letter dated 21 May 2026 and addressed to the Namibian Oil Industry Association (NOIA), industries, mines and energy minister Modestus Amutse informed industry players that the government had made what it described as emergency arrangements with Vitol, making the global commodity trader the sole supplier of fuel to Namibia for three months. He instructed…
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‘Genocide Day missed its purpose’ — Analysts 

‘Genocide Day missed its purpose’ — Analysts 

Allexer Namundjembo  The Genocide Remembrance Day missed its purpose of promoting unity and collective healing, according to political analyst Ndumba Kamwanyah.  Kamwanyah said the national commemoration is instead creating divisions. Kamwanyah said the day was intended to unite Namibians, preserve the memory of the genocide and encourage reconciliation. “The approach taken by government and regional organisers, the selection of some speakers, and even some of the messages delivered are contributing more to division than unity,” Kamwanyah said. Namibia marked the day last week Thursday in memory of the tens of thousands of Ovaherero and Nama people killed by German colonial…
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Luvindao fires registrar of medicines

Luvindao fires registrar of medicines

Renthia Kaimbi The Ministry of Health and Social Services has removed Fransina Nambahu as registrar of medicines at the Namibia Medicines Regulatory Council (NMRC).  The ministry has now appointed Frieda Shiweda to the position with effect from 1 June 2026. According to a letter dated 17 April 2026, the ministry's executive director Penda Ithindi informed Nambahu that the ministry was proposing that she voluntarily relinquish the position from 30 April. The letter stated that the decision followed a review of the structure of the NMRC secretariat and planned reforms within the ministry. Under the proposal, Nambahu would remain seconded as…
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Iipumbu warns border failures are eroding public trust

Iipumbu warns border failures are eroding public trust

Patience Makwele  Inconsistent decision-making, weak discipline and communication failures within the security cluster are eroding public trust in Namibia’s frontline services, minister of home affairs, immigration, safety and security Lucia Iipumbu has warned. Iipumbu made the remarks during a regional ministerial staff meeting in Katima Mulilo on Friday as part of a two-day working visit to inspect border posts and ministry projects in the Zambezi region. The meeting brought together officials from Immigration, the Namibian Police Force (Nampol) and the Namibian Correctional Service (NCS). She described the Zambezi region as both strategic and vulnerable and said officers responsible for border…
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Sam Nujoma Foundation nears opening of new office

Sam Nujoma Foundation nears opening of new office

Allexer Namundjembo  The Sam Nujoma Foundation is finalising preparations for the opening of its new office building in Windhoek.  Its chairperson Nahas Angula told the Windhoek Observer last week that the board of trustees is completing the final arrangements.  Angula stated that the foundation will inform the public once it concludes its preparations. The new office is expected to support the foundation’s work of preserving and promoting the legacy of late founding president Sam Nujoma. Nujoma became Namibia’s first president at independence in 1990 and served until 2005.  He played a central role in the country’s liberation struggle and post-independence…
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LPO calls for united front against FMD

LPO calls for united front against FMD

Patience Makwele  The Livestock Producers’ Organisation (LPO) vice-chairperson, Dawie Kok, says no country can successfully fight foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in isolation.  He said this as Namibia strengthens efforts to protect its livestock industry from the growing regional threat. Kok said Namibia’s internationally recognised FMD-free status remains an achievement worth protecting, but maintaining it requires cooperation between governments, veterinary authorities, farmers and regional partners. “Our FMD-free status is something we can be proud of, but it brings with it a greater responsibility not only towards ourselves but also towards the region of which we are a part,” Kok said. His remarks…
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THE TURNING POINT | Who should create jobs in Namibia? Revisiting the role of government and the private sector

THE TURNING POINT | Who should create jobs in Namibia? Revisiting the role of government and the private sector

The recent announcement by the Chamber of Mines of Namibia that the mining sector sustained more than 166,000 jobs in 2025 is undoubtedly encouraging news. At a time when unemployment remains one of Namibia’s most pressing socio-economic challenges, any evidence of job creation deserves recognition. The continued advancement of uranium, gold, copper and critical mineral projects further suggests that the sector remains an important pillar of economic activity and national development. However, the announcement should also prompt a broader and more fundamental discussion: whose responsibility is it to create jobs in Namibia? This question lies at the heart of many…
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Border posts are Namibia’s front door: We can no longer afford to leave them broken

Border posts are Namibia’s front door: We can no longer afford to leave them broken

When Minister of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security Lucia Iipumbu says failures at Namibia’s border posts are eroding public trust in frontline services, she is stating an uncomfortable truth that many Namibians, visitors and investors have experienced firsthand for years. Her recent inspection of border posts and ministry projects deserves commendation, not because ministerial visits are unusual, but because they signal a willingness to confront realities on the ground rather than rely solely on reports compiled in boardrooms and offices hundreds of kilometres away. For too long, Namibia’s border infrastructure has been treated as a peripheral issue rather than…
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SACU inflows push reserves to N$58.8bn

SACU inflows push reserves to N$58.8bn

Chamwe Kaira  The Bank of Namibia’s (BoN) stock of international reserves increased by 13.6% in April to N$58.8 billion, supported by inflows from the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) and Customer Foreign Currency (CFC) placements. The reserve level translated into an estimated import cover of 3.7 months. Excluding oil and gas exploration and appraisal-related imports, the cover stood at 4.1 months. At the end of April, reserves were estimated to be 10.5 times the value of currency in circulation. The Bank of Namibia said this level remains sufficient to support the peg between the Namibian dollar and the South African…
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