Windhoek Observer

16 May

President, VP pay final respect to !Gontes

Latest

Allexer Namundjembo President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah and vice president Lucia Witbooi are attending the burial service of late Swapo Hardap regional coordinator Joplin Pagley !Gontes on Saturday. !Gontes will be buried at the Pioneerspark cemetery in Windhoek. !Gontes died on 4 May in Mariental after a short illness. Photos: Namibian Presidency 

15 May

WHO wants better infrastructure for pedestrians

Latest

Patience Makwele World Health Organization country representative Dr Richard Banda has called for urgent investment in safer walking and cycling infrastructure, saying road crashes continue to claim lives and leave many people with permanent injuries in Namibia and across Africa.Speaking at the launch of the UN Global Road Safety Week in Windhoek on Friday, Banda said pedestrians and cyclists remain among the most vulnerable road users because of poor infrastructure and unsafe road conditions.“A child should be able to walk to school safely. A worker should be able to cycle to work without fear,” he said.Banda said safer mobility is…

15 May

YOUNG OBSERVER | Youth challenged to carry Nujoma’s legacy forward

Featured, Uncategorised

Patience Makwele Minister of information and communications technology Emma Theofelus has urged young Namibians to follow the resilience, courage and spirit of resistance shown by Namibia’s founding president, Sam Nujoma. The call was made during a commemoration event hosted by the Physically Active Youth Empowerment Organisation in Katutura to honour Nujoma’s legacy and role in Namibia’s liberation struggle. Speaking at the event, Theofelus said Nujoma’s values should continue guiding young people as they help build the country. "Dr Sam Nujoma, who has since left us. But in him and in us, his legacy continues because he lives in all of…

15 May

YOUNG OBSERVER | Japan boosts Unam emergency response capacity

Featured, Uncategorised

Lydia Sageus The government of Japan has donated two ambulances, a fire truck and emergency equipment valued at N$1.2 million to the University of Namibia (Unam) to strengthen emergency response services across its campuses. The handover ceremony took place recently at the university’s main campus. Japan’s ambassador to Namibia, Sinichi Asazuma, officially handed over the donation to Unam chancellor Nangolo Mbumba and Unam vice chancellor Kenneth Matengu. Receiving the donation, Mbumba thanked the government of Japan for what he described as timely support that will improve safety and emergency preparedness across UNAM campuses. “At a time when campus safety and…

15 May

Youth confidence shaken by online comparison culture

Featured, Uncategorised

Patience Makwele Growing social media use among young people in Namibia is raising concerns about its impact on confidence, mental health and online safety, especially among children and teenagers. The issue was recently discussed on the Wheels of Justice, a Namibia Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) TV show, where experts warned about the dangers young people face online, including addiction, harmful content and unrealistic social expectations. Information and communication technology minister Emma Theofelus said parents, governments and technology companies all have a responsibility to protect children online. “How old should a child be to be on social media? Children under the ages…

15 May

YOUNG OBSERVER | ǁKaras launches youth desk to boost empowerment

Featured, Uncategorised

Patience Makwele The ||Karas region has officially launched the Governor’s Youth Desk alongside the Youth Empowerment Strategic Framework 2026–2029, in a move aimed at strengthening youth participation in governance, skills development and economic empowerment. The initiative was launched on Wednesday evening in Keetmanshoop during an event attended by more than 100 young people from across the region, alongside government officials, traditional leaders and development partners. Speaking at the launch, ||Karas governor Dawid Gertze said the youth desk was created to ensure young people become active participants in development and decision-making processes. He said the desk will connect young people to…

15 May

36 years later, we still cannot seem to get governance right

Editorial

Thirty-six years after independence, Namibia finds itself trapped in a governance paradox. We are politically stable, constitutionally admired, and rich in democratic institutions on paper. Yet at the level where governance matters most to ordinary citizens, in towns, villages, settlements, and regional councils, the system continues to malfunction with alarming consistency. Minister of urban and rural development James Sankwasa’s recent warning about power struggles within local authorities is therefore not merely another political soundbite. It is an admission of a deeper national problem: Namibia has still not mastered the art of governing itself effectively at all levels. The issue is…

15 May

Irregularities plague Uukwambi Traditional Authority

Main

Renthia Kaimbi Human rights activist Phil ya Nangoloh has called for an urgent investigation into the Uukwambi Traditional Authority over alleged administrative irregularities and governance failures. Ya Nangoloh, founder and executive director of NamRights Incorporated, said the alleged irregularities undermine administrative justice, fairness and constitutional rights. He said the situation may also create conditions for corruption and unlawful payments. A government gazette no. 8746, published on 23 September 2025, recognises Lukas Nendongo, a junior village headman, as an ordinary traditional councillor and member of the Windhoek-based Council of Traditional Leaders, according to Ya Nangoloh. Ya Nangoloh said Nendongo is not…

15 May

Sankwasa warns against power struggles in decentralisation

National News

Patience Makwele Urban and rural development minister James Sankwasa has warned against political and administrative power struggles as the government rolls out the decentralisation of youth and sporting functions to regional councils. Speaking at the official handover launch in Otjiwarongo on Wednesday, Sankwasa said tensions between governors, regional councils and decentralised staff could affect the success of the programme if reporting lines and responsibilities are not respected. “What is remaining there is their salary. Your operation, your supervisor is now the regional council,” Sankwasa said, referring to staff transferred from national ministries to regional structures. The government has officially delegated…

15 May

Travellers hit by immigration delays at Ngoma

National News

Patience Makwele Travellers are reporting delays and disrupted immigration services at the Ngoma Border Post. They are raising concerns about staffing levels and operations at one of Namibia’s key entry points into Botswana. Several travellers who spoke to the Windhoek Observer said they waited for hours without assistance during peak morning movement on Wednesday. Some described confusion at the counters and poor communication about when services would resume. “I got there just after sunrise and nothing was moving. People were just standing around, with no explanations,” said traveller Sisco Simasiku, who was travelling into Namibia from Kasane. Another traveller said…