Windhoek Observer – Page 100 – Windhoek Observer

12 Aug

AI readiness stalled by policy shortfall – Steenkamp

National News

Erasmus Shalihaxwe The absence of a national artificial intelligence (AI) strategy or policy is limiting Namibia’s ability to coordinate and govern AI development in a holistic and forward-looking way. This was the message from minister of education, innovation, youth, sports, arts and culture Sanet Steenkamp during the launch of the Artificial Intelligence Assessment Methodology report on Monday. Her speech was delivered by deputy minister Dino Balloti. Steenkamp said the lack of a regulatory framework specific to AI increases the risk of unchecked technological experimentation, algorithmic bias, and harm to vulnerable populations. She highlighted digital divides in gender, geography, income, and…

12 Aug

Time to Set the Rules on State Funerals

Editorial, Featured, Opinions

President Nandi-Ndaitwah’s decision to put a moratorium on state funerals is a move that deserves both praise and serious public debate. For years, Namibia has stumbled along without a transparent, universally accepted set of rules for who qualifies for a state, official, or heroes funeral. The result? Confusion, bitterness, and public quarrels at moments when the nation should be united in grief. The recent passing of Dr. Moses Amweelo reignited these tensions. Many felt the former minister and respected political figure deserved, at the very least, an official funeral. Others supported the government’s decision to hold the line after the…

12 Aug

SADC Tourism Alliance sets skills focus for Namibia

Observer Money

Chamwe Kaira The newly elected steering committee of the SADC Tourism Alliance will focus on developing skills in Namibia’s tourism industry during its term. Tourism is Namibia’s fastest-growing economic sector, employing more than 100,000 people. Tourist arrivals rose from 169 565 during the pandemic to 863 872 in 2023, according to the ministry of environment and tourism. The ministry was allocated N$797 million for the 2025/26 fiscal year. Regional tourism leaders have created a new governance structure to address barriers slowing the sector’s growth. Intra-regional tourism accounts for less than 25% of arrivals, and air connectivity remains limited. The steering…

12 Aug

July bites back: meat and beer prices increase

Observer Money

Chamwe Kaira Meat and beer became more expensive in July, official statistics show. The annual index for the ‘meat’ subcomponent rose by 10.3% in July, compared to 3.8% in July 2024. The Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA) attributed the rise mainly to beef prices, which climbed from 7% to 14.6%, minced meat from 4% to 12.6%, mutton and lamb from 1.9% to 12.2%, and sausages from 0.8% to 8.9%. Vegetable prices also surged. The index for vegetables, including potatoes and other tubers, rose by 9.7% in July compared to 4.6% a year earlier. Notable increases were recorded for cucumber (-17.5% to…

12 Aug

Chevron appoints exploration country manager

Observer Money

Staff Writer Chevron has appointed Beatrice Bienvenu as country manager to lead its exploration activities in Namibia and West Africa. Bienvenu recently visited Windhoek in her new role and met with leaders from the Upstream Petroleum Unit in the presidency, the National Petroleum Corporation of Namibia (Namcor), the Petroleum Training and Education Fund (Petrofund), the US Embassy, and other institutions. “It was a privilege to travel to Namibia as Chevron’s new Country Manager to meet our key stakeholders,” Bienvenu said. “It was an honour for me to share our positive experience in Namibia and highlight some of the factors that…

12 Aug

The Essence of Activism, Are we supposed to be “poor”? – A response to Jonathan Kariseb

Featured, Opinions

Onesmus Shekuza Iyambo On my way home from the AR headquarters after a long, tiring but productive meeting with our regional leadership as we were discussing about different strategies and tactics we will deploy in preparation for the upcoming regional and local authority elections, I stopped by Otjomuise shopping centre to buy newspapers. As I was perusing The Namibian Newspaper on Friday, 27 July 2025, I came across an article by Jonathan Kariseb, scandalously titled “On Job Amupanda, Elites and the Burden of Responsibility: A Personal Reflection”. In one of his famous essays, ‘The Responsibility of Intellectuals’, Noam Chomsky tells…

12 Aug

The Sound of Silence: Are we serious about local democracy?

Opinions

Gillian Kalf Is the silence across the country two months away from elections a sign of voter disengagement in local politics? The loud silence says a lot about our democracy and enforcing our decentralisation efforts in our governance and body politics of the nation. Last year this time, the nation's political landscape was a hive of activity. From political leaders outlining visions for the future to citizens passionately debating succession, the country was alive with political discourse. What is the silence all about then? Stakeholders – political parties, civil society organisations, the electorate and, most importantly, the politicians. The Electoral…

12 Aug

When life takes a detour: The value of having an income you can rely on

Observer Money, Opinions

Nikanor Ruben Most people don’t wake up thinking about what would happen if they couldn’t work tomorrow. We tend to assume that the ability to earn a living is a constant, as dependable as the sun rising. But the truth is, life has a way of reminding us just how fragile that assumption can be. Whether you're in your 20s just starting your career or well into your 50s with responsibilities stacked high, the ability to earn a monthly income is central to almost everything: paying the bills, covering school fees, sending money home, and keeping food on the table.…

12 Aug

CAF raises funding for preliminary participants

Sports

Erasmus Shalihaxwe African Stars FC and Young African FC will each receive N$1.7 million from the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for their participation in the 2025/26 inter-club competitions. CAF recently announced that the financial support for teams in the preliminary round has increased from N$850 000 to N$1.7 million. The funds will cover expenses such as travel and accommodation. African Stars will face Vipers FC from Uganda in the Champions League preliminary round, while Young African from Gobabis will play Royal Leopards from Eswatini in the Confederations Cup. The first leg for both ties will take place from 19…

11 Aug

Malima deposited N$900k for Mulunga’s alleged Audi

Main

Justicia Shipena Fugitive Victor Malima paid a deposit of just over N$900,000 in 2023 for the luxury Audi Q8 he allegedly bought for former National Petroleum Corporation of Namibia (Namcor) managing director Immanuel Mulunga, the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court heard on Friday. The payment was made before the vehicle was collected in August 2023, months after Mulunga was suspended in April 2023. Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) chief investigator Oberty Inambao revealed this information. Under cross-examination by defence lawyer Francois Bangamwabo, Inambao said the car was financed through a hire purchase agreement in Malima’s name. He confirmed that in such arrangements, the bank…