Observer

Stefanus Nashama Matheus Mhani, the presiding officer for the Windhoek Rural Constituency during the 2024 presidential and national assembly elections, has denied allegations of election rigging involving 500 000 ballot papers reportedly filled in favour of Swapo. The allegations, circulating on WhatsApp and other social media platforms, accuse Mhani, a member of the Namibian Police, Gidein Shino, and the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) officials of plotting to manipulate results. "Those are false allegations. I am not the author. I do not know who is trying to use my name in connection with things that are not true. Even the…

Erasmus Shalihaxwe The homestead of Chief Hosea Kutako in the Toasis village near Aminius in the Omaheke region was officially declared a national monument during a special ceremony on Tuesday. The event led by President Nangolo Mbumba also marked the inauguration of the Hosea Kutako Memorial Museum and Homestead Shrine. Mbumba emphasised the significance of the site in Namibia's history. “It represents the unity of the Namibian people, which carried them during the fight against racism, German colonialism and illegal apartheid occupation,” said Mbumba. The President praised Chief Kutako as an iconic nationalist who championed peace, unity, and justice for…

Mallex Shipanga The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) and the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) have called on the nation to strengthen efforts to combat corruption. The two institutions issued the call on 9 December, which is observed as International Anti-Corruption Day. The United Nations (UN) established International Anti-Corruption Day on 9 December to raise awareness about and combat corruption. According to the IPPR’s executive director, Graham Hopwood, corruption exacerbates inequality, undermines development, and weakens public trust by diverting resources meant to improve lives. Through the Integrity Namibia Project, he encouraged the public to combat corruption and strengthen integrity in various…

Niël Terblanché Namibia has achieved a new historic milestone in addressing past land disparities with the establishment of the first communal land in the Khomas Region. The Minister of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform, Calle Schlettwein, officially handed over 8 132 hectares of land to the !Khomanin Traditional Authority on a historic day for the community and the nation. Schwlettwein said that the land, which comprises the farms Groot Korasieplaats and Portion 1 of Groot Korasieplaats, was acquired by the government at a cost of N$33.9 million. “Today, I am a happy man. It is an emotional moment because we…

Stefanus Nashama Paulus Shimooshili, a member of the Affirmative Repositioning (AR), accused the Okahandja Town Council of mismanaging funds and neglecting essential services. He highlighted the non-functional state of public toilet facilities as a glaring example of the municipality's failure to address basic needs. The accusations stem from the state of public toilet facilities in the municipality, which have reportedly been out of service for over three years. The facilities were built to serve the public when visiting the municipality for services. “These toilets have remained non-functional despite repeated complaints,” Shimooshili said. Shimooshili said he found out that the toilets…

Mallex Shipanga The deputy director of education, arts, and culture in the Oshikoto Region, Tomas Kalimbo, has advised parents and guardians to keep their children safe during the festive season. Kalimbo listed various ways to do so in a statement issued on 22 November. Kalimbo said he wants a safe and secure environment for children this festive season. He encouraged parents and guardians to know where their children are visiting during the festive season. “Ensure that you leave your children with responsible and reliable persons,” he said. In addition, Kalimbo advised parents to know their children's friends and their parents.…

Niël Terblanché The dual celebration of Human Rights Day and Namibia’s Women’s Day will go down in history not only because serves as a reminder of the progress made in the country’s journey toward justice and equality and the ongoing collective effort needed to secure a brighter future for all, but also because the nation elected its first female head of state. On Tuesday, Namibia joined the global community In commemoration of International Human Rights Day under the theme “Our Right, Our Future, Right Now”. President Nangolo Mbumba in a special message to the nation reflected on the strides made…

Niël Terblanché Namibia is poised to make history as it will for the first time ever host the High-Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy (Ocean Panel) representatives, known as Sherpas while the world struggles to find solutions to the triple planetary crisis of climate change, marine pollution, and overfishing. The event in Walvis Bay starts today and it will also be the first time the gathering of the Sherpas will take place on African soil. The Ocean Panel, established in 2018, comprises 19 world leaders committed to sustainably managing 100% of the ocean areas under national jurisdiction. Representing countries…

Niël Terblanché Namibia strengthened its role as a global leader in biodiversity conservation, setting the stage for transformative action to protect the planet for generations to come while it welcomed delegates from across the globe for the 11th Plenary of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) in Windhoek on Tuesday. The gathering is aimed at addressing the interconnected crises of biodiversity loss, climate change, and ecosystem degradation while launching two landmark reports that promise to shape the global conservation agenda. Pohamba Shifeta, Namibia’s Minister of Environment, Forestry and Tourism, explained the importance of the Nexus Assessment…

Allexer Namundjembo The launch of Fly Etosha Airways, initially slated for last year, has encountered significant delays due to a combination of geopolitical tensions and financial challenges. While the airline had been poised to fill the void left by the closure of Air Namibia, unforeseen global events and complex negotiations have pushed back its launch timeline. In an interview with the Windhoek Observer, captain William Ekandjo, the founder of Fly Etosha Airways, said the beginning of last year saw promising developments, fuelling optimism for the airline’s imminent launch. However, the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war, coupled with ongoing conflicts in…