Windhoek Observer

Allexer Namundjembo Windhoek magistrate Monica Andjaba has questioned the strength of the state’s case against former minister of agriculture, fisheries, water and land reform Mac-Albert Hengari before granting him and his co-accused bail.  The duo were granted bail of N$15 000 each with conditions. The co-accused is the 31-year-old brother of the alleged rape complainant.  In her ruling, Andjaba noted the court had not seen evidence proving that Hengari paid a bribe to the complainant to withdraw rape charges. “The alleged N$220 000, which the state claims was paid to the complainant, was not found with her but rather on…

Hertta-Maria Amutenja  The executive director of the ministry of international relations and trade, Penda Naanda, has dismissed speculation that he is in line for a new diplomatic posting. Naanda has been mentioned in diplomatic circles as a potential candidate for redeployment. However, there has been no official announcement regarding this as of yet. “This is news to me. Diplomatic postings are strictly dealt with by the Presidency. If there is something like that, it has not reached my ears yet. The Office of the President would perhaps be the best to respond to this question,” Naanda told the Windhoek Observer.…

Allexer Namundjembo Many prospective miners continue to submit incomplete or substandard applications, often without securing the required consent from traditional authorities. This was revealed by deputy executive director in the ministry of industries, mines and energy, Erasmus Shivolo during a  presentation at the 2025 Mining Expo & Conference on Thursday. Shivolo said the ministry frequently receives speculative and premature applications, lacking key documents such as proof of technical and financial capacity. “These kinds of applications slow down the approval process due to the back-and-forth required to address deficiencies,” he explained.  He added that some applications are submitted for restricted or…

Hertta-Maria Amutenja Only 17% of early childhood development (ECD) workers in Namibia hold formal qualifications.  This was revealed by education minister Sanet Steenkamp during the relaunch of the RightStart Programme in Windhoek on Thursday. Steenkamp said the lack of qualified educarers in the ECD sector is a major barrier to lifelong learning and directly contributes to learning poverty in the country.  “In 2023, of 414 069 children aged 0 to 4, only 51 872 accessed ECD services in 2024, meaning over 87 percent of children aged 0 to 4 do not attend integrated ECD programmes, and 60 percent of pre-primary-aged…

Allexer Namundjembo  Eight schools will receive desks and chairs through the 2025 edition of Old Mutual’s Chair and Desk Initiative. The initiative, launched in 2023, is aimed at improving classroom conditions by providing or repairing furniture in under-resourced schools.  This year, the selected schools are located in the Kavango East, Kavango West, Hardap, and Khomas regions, following an open call for applications. Old Mutual executive for marketing, public affairs and sustainability Mignon du Preez said every learner deserves a seat at the table of opportunity.  “By investing in school furniture, we’re not just equipping classrooms, we’re restoring dignity, improving focus,…

Allexer Namundjembo An animal feed production project has claimed first place in the Old Mutual Sustainable, Economic and Empowerment Drive (OM SEED) competition in the Omusati region. The winning venture, led by Sakeus Npiwashimwe, founder of Ndipwa Trading cc, focuses on enhancing food security and promoting sustainable agriculture.  Npiwashimwe will recieve awarded seed capital and business development support to grow his business. Launched in 2022, the OM SEED initiative by the Old Mutual Foundation has supported entrepreneurs nationwide through funding, skills development, and long-term mentorship.  Petrus Daniel, founder of Etunda GSP, secured second place with his agricultural and horticultural enterprise…

Moses Magadza A delegation of senior staff members from the Parliament of Zimbabwe recently concluded a week-long learning exchange visit to Namibia's National Assembly and the Secretariat of the SADC Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF). The assistant clerk to the Parliament of Zimbabwe and leader of the delegation, Prince Daniel, described the experience as enriching and highlighted promising prospects for future collaboration. The six-member delegation focused on deepening their understanding of parliamentary practices, records management, and the institutional evolution of the SADC PF, particularly its transformation journey into a SADC Regional Parliament. “We might be an old democracy compared to our…