info_e12wt4cs – Page 177

09 Oct

New electoral law allows civil servants to retain jobs during elections

info_e12wt4csNational NewsNangolo Mbumba

Erasmus Shalihaxwe President Nangolo Mbumba has signed the new electoral law, which will allow public servants to take leave after being nominated to their political party's parliament list while elections are concluding. In the past, civil servants who appeared on the parliament list of their political parties were forced to resign from their positions. The electoral law has been amended to allow civil servants to take leave until the election results are announced. According to the amended law, if an individual is elected to parliament, they will be considered to have resigned but if they are not elected, they can…

09 Oct

Illegal shack congestion blamed for Walvis Bay fire

info_e12wt4csNational NewsNamibia Housing Enterprise, Otweya informal settlement

Martin Endjala The illegal congestion of shacks is blamed for the recent fire disaster that left many families homeless in the Otweya informal settlement in Walvis Bay. On the evening of 4 October, the shack fire which occurred on the premises of the Namibia Housing Enterprise (NHE) destroyed over 70 houses. The aftermath has left about 200 families homeless. Tragically, the fire claimed one life. Festus Immanuel, the spokesperson of the Walvis Bay Backyard Tenants Group (WBTG), said devastating fires in Walvis Bay often occur in illegal structures. “These structures built in the backyards of formal houses or on empty…

09 Oct

Namibia takes major steps to transform education system

info_e12wt4csNational NewsEster Anna Nghipondoka, Itah Kandjii-Murangi

Niël Terblanché Namibia’s education system is poised for transformation, but it will take a collective effort to achieve the ambitious goals set out in the Transforming Education Implementation Charter. The initiative is set to overhaul Namibia’s education landscape, focussing on inclusivity, quality education, vocational training, and research, aiming to better equip the country for future challenges and opportunities. Namibia’s Ministry of Higher Education, Technology and Innovation (MHETI) and the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture (MoEAC) jointly hosted the inception meeting on Wednesday in a substantial step towards the implementation of the Transforming Education Implementation Charter 2023-2030. Itah Kandjii-Murangi, the…

09 Oct

Nandi-Ndaitwah calls for integrity in digital media

info_e12wt4csNational News8th Southern Africa Broadcasting Association

Niël Terblanché While artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to reshape media, it must be wielded thoughtfully, with a commitment to truth and public service at its core. Vice President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah highlighted the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in media while opening the 8th Southern Africa Broadcasting Association (Saba) Broadcast and Digital Media Convention in Swakopmund. Addressing media professionals from across the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region, Nandi-Ndaitwah stressed that AI could revolutionize broadcasting by making it more inclusive, accessible, and impactful. She, however, cautioned that this transformation must occur with ethical considerations at the forefront. Nandi-Ndaitwah…

09 Oct

Katjavivi to lead delegation to Inter-Parliamentary Union in Switzerland

info_e12wt4csNational News149th Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly

Erasmus Shalihaxwe National Assembly Speaker Peter Katjavivi will lead a delegation of parliamentarians to the 149th Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly, taking place in Geneva, Switzerland, from 13 to 17 October. On Wednesday, the information division of the parliament announced that Katjavivi's attendance at this assembly will be his final international parliamentary event in his capacity as Speaker of the National Assembly. “On the latter, the IPU has made diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the Middle East crisis and this has laid the groundwork for parliamentary diplomacy during the upcoming assembly. The IPU Committee on Middle East Questions, which consists of 12…

09 Oct

Namibian Navy celebrates 20 years of service

info_e12wt4csNational NewsMinistry of Defence and Veterans Affairs

Niël Terblanché The Ministry of Defence and Veterans Affairs has announced a two-day celebration to mark the 20th anniversary of the Namibian Navy, set to take place from 10 to 11 October at Walvis Bay. The celebration today will again remind the nation of the navy’s mandate to continuously safeguard the nation’s maritime interests and contribute to regional stability. Colonel Petrus Shilumbu, spokesperson of the ministry, extended an invitation to the public, encouraging attendance at the various events planned to showcase the navy’s capabilities. He indicated that the festivities will commence with a street procession starting at JC Harris Park…

09 Oct

Agriculture ministry wants to unlock Neckartal Dam’s potential

info_e12wt4csNational NewsKharas Region

Martin Endjala The Ministry of Agriculture, Water, and Land Reform is working to revive the Neckartal Dam situated in the Fish River in the Kharas region because the N$5.5 billion investment has yet to reach its full potential. The dam was constructed to provide water for irrigation and generate electricity for the national grid. The project now faces criticism from the public for its slow progress and failure to address key agricultural needs in the region. Last year, the ministry announced that it would require an additional N$2 billion to complete the construction of the second phase of the dam…

08 Oct

GRN accused of being reluctant to make tough economic decisions

info_e12wt4csNational News

Ester Mbathera The government's reluctance to implement crucial reforms is overshadowing the promising economic recovery. This is according to the latest Namibia Quarterly Economic Review (QER) for Q3 2024, compiled by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR). The IPPR criticised the government for delaying the implementation of legislative reforms, such as the National Equitable Economic Empowerment Bill (NEEEB), the Namibia Investment Promotion Act (NIPA), and the Minerals Act. The report claims that leaders have passed down the reforms to one another. “On economic policy, the past two terms have been characterised by dithering, uncertainty and confusion and the sound…

08 Oct

White rhinos sold to US buyers amid public outcry over wildlife ownership

info_e12wt4csNational NewsBush Camp, Kifaru Luxury Lodge, Romeo Muyunda

Ester Mbathera Forty-two white rhinos purchased from Kifaru Luxury Lodge and Bush Camp near Outjo departed from Namibia on Tuesday afternoon aboard a Boeing 747. The rhinos will be airlifted from Hosea Kutako International Airport to Texas, USA. The export of the rhinos comes barely two weeks after 63 giraffes and an unknown number of camels were also sold to foreign nationals. The rhinos were sold by Jaco Muller from Kifaru Luxury Lodge and Bush Camp, who confirmed the sale to Kosmos 94.1 News. “The animals were bought from me by a wildlife trader who had an American agent, and…

08 Oct

Political analysts warn against journalists switching to politics

info_e12wt4csMain

Hertta-Maria Amutenja Political analysts have voiced concerns over the increasing trend of journalists entering politics, following the recent appointments of Sonja Smith to the Popular Democratic Movement's (PDM) parliamentary list and Julia Nekwaya to the PDM National Executive Committee for 2024-2029. Smith is an investigative journalist with The Namibian newspaper. She has been juggling two jobs, her main occupation as a journalist and her second job as the personal assistant to the PDM’s president, McHenry Venaani. She is number eleven on the party’s parliamentary list. Julia Nekwaya, previously a journalist at The Namibian and Namibia Broadcasting Corporation (NBC), is number…