Windhoek Observer

11184 Posts
23 Feb

No progress for small agro-processors despite trade deals

Observer Money
Hertta-Maria Amutenja  Despite preferential trade agreements, Namibian micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in agro-processing continue to struggle with barriers that limit their market access and growth. The Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB) has found that small businesses can't fully benefit from these trade agreements because of problems with infrastructure, strict rules for following them, and a lack of money. Titus Shivute, marketing and corporate communication manager of the NIPDB highlighted the opportunities available under agreements such as the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Protocol on Trade, the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the European Union, and the…
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Brave Gladiators eye WAFCON qualifier
23 Feb

Brave Gladiators eye WAFCON qualifier

Sports
Erasmus Shalihaxwe The Brave Gladiators, Namibia’s senior women’s football team, are preparing for the second leg of their 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) qualifier against Eswatini. Namibia secured a 3-0 victory in the first leg, played in Eswatini, and the second leg is scheduled for Tuesday, 25 February, at the Dobsonville Stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa. Namibia is using Johannesburg as its home ground due to the lack of a CAF-accredited stadium in the country. Head coach Woody Jacobs emphasised that despite the comfortable win in the first leg, the team will not take the second match lightly.…
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CoW  donates food to flood victims
23 Feb

CoW  donates food to flood victims

National News
Mallex Shipanga  The City of Windhoek (CoW) has donated 200 food parcels worth N$100 000 to support flood-affected families relocated from Otjomuise, Farm 508 in Goreangab area. Each household received two litres of cooking oil, 410 grams of canned fish, 500 grams of macaroni, five kilograms of maize meal, five kilograms of rice, and five kilograms of white sugar. The donations were made through the Windhoek Resident Mayoral Trust. The chairperson of the Windhoek Resident Mayoral Trust, Toucy Tjijombo, explained why the Trust decided to assist flood victims specifically. “Unfortunately, there happen to be flood victims from Otjomuise relocated here…
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Severe weather threatens Nujoma memorial events
20 Feb

Severe weather threatens Nujoma memorial events

Main
Niël Terblanché Looming adverse weather conditions threaten to disrupt these commemorations, particularly in the northern regions of the country at the time when the mortal remains of Founding President Sam Nujoma started a tour of seven regions to allow Namibians in rural areas to pay their final respects. A series of regional memorial services have been organized to honour Nujoma’s legacy.  The Namibian Meteorological Service (NMS), in collaboration with the Office of the Prime Minister, issued a public weather warning on Wednesday. The NMS advisory forecasts moderate to heavy thunderstorms over the coming weekend in the Kavango East, Kavango West,…
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Cybersecurity experts call proactive action after Paratus hack
20 Feb

Cybersecurity experts call proactive action after Paratus hack

National News
Ester Mbathera  IT specialists are now calling for immediate action to strengthen cybersecurity measures across organisations following the recent cyber attack on Paratus Namibia. They took to social media to share their advice with businesses and individuals. Eugene Haingura, an IT expert, said cybersecurity is no longer just an IT issue—it’s a critical part of every organisation’s safety.  “Hackers are always evolving, and they don’t rest. Whether their goal is to disrupt, steal, or ransom data, their intentions are unpredictable and dangerous,” he said. Haingura emphasised the importance of employee awareness, urging companies to provide regular training on recognising phishing…
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Reparations must be informed and driven by quest for communalism
20 Feb

Reparations must be informed and driven by quest for communalism

Opinions
Kae Matundu-Tjiparuro REALISTICALLY, the road towards reparations is a long and hard one because the immediate task now staring the Ovaherero, Ovambanderu and Nama in the face is getting the campaign back on track following its attempted derailment by both the Namibian government and its German counterpart.  With the Joint Declaration (JD), which was made in 2021 after what seemed like ten years of negotiations on reparations, the two governments have come up with nothing more than a bilateral aid package. This, by the standards of genocide and subsequent reparations, cannot and will never come closer to being defined and…
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Reports of e-visa system failure refuted
20 Feb

Reports of e-visa system failure refuted

National News
Niël Terblanché The Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety, and Security has dismissed reports suggesting that European tourists are cancelling their trips to Namibia due to a malfunctioning e-visa portal. In a statement issued on Thursday, the ministry’s executive director, Etienne Maritz expressed concern over what he described as misleading information published by The Namibian. “The Ministry would like to refute this claim, as the e-visa for visa-on-arrival has not yet been launched,” Maritz said. He stated that a comprehensive communication regarding the new visa regime was shared well in advance with all affected countries, giving stakeholders, including tourists and…
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A child’s pure salute to the Founding President
20 Feb

A child’s pure salute to the Founding President

National News
Moses Magadza  As the motorcade bearing the casket of the late Founding Father of the Namibian Nation, Sam Nujoma, rolled down Sam Nujoma Drive early morning on Thursday, 20 February, a poignant moment unfolded. Nine-year-old Gcina Gaeyo Masuku, a young Motswana born and living in Namibia, stood with his fist clenched in silent reverence, then raised his hand in a solemn wave—a child’s pure and heartfelt tribute to a towering figure in history. Watching the hearse disappear into the distance, he turned to his mother and asked with innocent longing, “Mom, I waved at Dr. Nujoma. Did he wave back…
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Journalists decry unequal treatment at Nujoma memorial events
20 Feb

Journalists decry unequal treatment at Nujoma memorial events

National News
Stefanus Nashama  Journalists from different media houses in the Oshana region were initially barred from entering Andimba Toivo ya Toivo Airport in Ondangwa on Thursday while covering the arrival of the late founding president Sam Nujoma’s body. They claimed Police officers and members of the Namibian Defence Force (NDF) only allowed reporters from the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) on the tarmac. Hellen Andreas, a reporter from Shipi FM, described a heated exchange with the police. "I had to push hard to go into the airport. I did not surrender because I was doing it for the listeners and followers of…
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Former leaders hail Nujoma’s public health reforms
20 Feb

Former leaders hail Nujoma’s public health reforms

National News
Hetta-Maria Amutenja Former health ministers have credited Founding President Sam Nujoma for shaping Namibia’s healthcare system.  They said he played a key role in strengthening healthcare services across the country. Former health minister Richard Kamwi said Nujoma played a role in expanding access to healthcare, especially in rural areas.  “At the time I was working with Dr Libertina Amathila. President Nojoma educated us to be with the people out there in the rural areas, not here in the city. We must go out and see the challenges that ordinary Namibians like my grandmother, my uneducated aunt, and so many of…
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