Windhoek Observer – Page 297 – Windhoek Observer

21 Oct

NSA concludes NHIES survey data collection

National NewsNamibia Household Income and Expenditure Survey (NHIES)

Stefanus Nashama The Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA) has announced that field staff will no longer visit households to collect data for the Namibia Household Income and Expenditure Survey (NHIES). The statistician general of the NSA, Alex Shimuafeni, announced this Monday. “The NSA hereby informs the nation that until the main NHIES survey commences in March 2025, there will no longer be field staff visiting households for NHIES data collection,” he said. The pilot NHIES survey was launched to test readiness for the upcoming main survey, which is scheduled to start in March 2025. It started on September 30 and ended…

21 Oct

Brazilian warship’s visit will mark three decades of naval cooperation with Namibia

National NewsBrazil-Namibia Naval Cooperation, Captain P.N. Sacharia Naval Base, Colonel Petrus Shilumbu, Defensora frigate

Niël Terblanché To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Brazil-Namibia Naval Cooperation, the Brazilian Navy’s frigate Defensora will dock at Walvis Bay from 22 to 26 October. This historic visit not only commemorates three decades of a strong naval partnership but also offers a unique glimpse into Brazil’s maritime prowess, symbolized by the Defensora and its crew. The Ministry of Defence and Veterans Affairs has informed the public that a ceremonial 21-gun salute will mark the frigate’s arrival, with gunfire expected between 08h00 and 09h00 today. The ministry’s spokesperson, Colonel Petrus Shilumbu, assured residents that the explosive sounds, while loud,…

21 Oct

Africa’s first ‘Early Warnings for All Forum’ hosted by Namibia

National NewsEarly Warnings for All (EW4All), John Mutorwa

Niël Terblanché African leaders and stakeholders gathered in Windhoek to work collaboratively towards a future where no African country is left vulnerable to the impacts of natural disasters. Deputy Prime Minister, John Mutorwa, officially opened the Early Warnings for All (EW4All) Multi-Stakeholder Forum for Africa on Monday and said that the week-long forum is a key moment for Namibia. “This event brings together key stakeholders from across the continent to strengthen Africa’s disaster preparedness through effective early warning systems,” he said. Mutorwa welcomed delegates from governments, United Nations agencies, civil society, and the private sector, underscoring the urgency of improving…

20 Oct

Uproar over N$6.2 mil ballot paper printing tender

MainECN, Peter Shaama

Martin Endjala Several political parties have raised concerns regarding the N$6.2 million tender award to Ren-Form CC, a South African-based company to design and print ballot papers for the National Assembly and Presidential elections. The company is expected to print 1.6 million ballot papers inclusive of the 10% contingency. This would amount to N$3.90 per ballot paper. The tender was awarded on 17 October. However, on 7 October, two days before the deadline, the commission cancelled the tender. It is not clear which procurement method was applied to select Ren-Formas as a successful bidder. The Landless People's Movement (LPM), through…

20 Oct

Tsumkwe businesses hampered by poor road infrastructure

National News

Martin Endjala Tsumkwe settlement in the northeastern part of the Otjozondjupa region is home to over 7 000 San people who are historically known for their hunting and gathering skills. Over time, they have become accustomed to modern life, which presents unique challenges in their social and economic lives. People from all over the country settled in Tsumkwe for work, while others established businesses to serve those who could not frequently travel 300 kilometres to Grootfontein, the nearest trading centre. One of the pressing issues for both residents and business owners is the deteriorating road infrastructure, which affects both the…

20 Oct

Venaani promises to slash housing backlog to 30%

National News

Allexer Namundjembo The Popular Democratic Movement’s (PDM) leader, McHenry Venaani has vowed to reduce Namibia’s housing backlog by 30%. Venaani unveiled plans to introduce a comprehensive housing scheme that integrates existing programmes with new policy interventions aimed at expanding the housing sector at the party’s star rally at Keetmanshoop on Saturday. "We will develop an innovative scheme that merges existing programmes and supports the housing sector through appropriate policies and credit availability, including interest subventions where necessary," Venaani explained. According to Venaani, while 80% of families live in detached or stand-alone houses, 64% of them reside in informal settlements at…

20 Oct

AR proposes issue-based ballots

National News2024 Presidential and National Assembly elections, Job Amupanda

Hertta-Maria Amutenja The Affirmative Repositioning (AR) party, in its recently released manifesto for the 2024 Presidential and National Assembly elections, has proposed the introduction of issue-based ballots during elections. This, according to the party, will deepen democratic participation in Namibia. AR leader Job Amupanda explained that this shift seeks to allow citizens to vote not only for individual politicians but also on critical national issues, which AR argues cannot be left solely to politicians in Cabinet and Parliament. “Instead of citizens only voting for individual politicians after every five years, the AR government will add additional issue-based ballots where citizens…

20 Oct

‘Ombili beer’ takes the U.S. market by storm

National News

In the United States, a new beer named "Ombili," inspired by the Oshivambo language, has taken the US market by storm, rapidly gaining popularity and capturing the hearts of local consumers. On March 25, 2021, Ombili IPA made its debut in liquor stores and taverns across Seattle, with distribution expanding to other states soon after. The name Ombili (pronounced "ohm-bee-lee") is deeply significant. In the Oshiwambo dialect, spoken in northern Namibia, “Ombili” means peace, harmony, and goodwill. For Grace Robbings, one of Reuben's Brews's co-founders and a former Peace Corps teacher volunteer in Namibia, such a word embodies the true…

20 Oct

N$31 million grants to mitigate human-wildlife conflict in Kunene

National NewsCommunity Conservation Fund of Namibia, Poverty-Oriented Support to Community Conservation in Namibia

Niël Terblanché The Poverty-Oriented Support to Community Conservation in Namibia (POSCCIN) project has distributed over N$31 million in grants to conservancies in the Kunene region. This effort, led by the Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism (MEFT) and the Community Conservation Fund of Namibia (CCFN), with German government support, aims to mitigate human-wildlife conflict while promoting local livelihoods. The grants were handed over in Opuwo on Friday by Pohamba Shifeta, the minister of environment, forestry, and tourism. He said the Kunene region is facing increasing challenges as both wildlife and human populations grow. “Predator attacks on livestock, competition for water…

20 Oct

The situation has left the residents fearing for their lives and properties.

National News

Stefanus Nashama Crime in the Goreangab and Havana informal settlements of Windhoek has recently increased on weekends, with residents estimating that more than ten people fall victim to robberies during these times. Numerous incidents have involved forcing people to give up their phones, laptops, money, and other belongings or even getting stabbed with knives in the process. The situation has left the residents fearing for their lives and properties. Magdalena Andreas, of Havana, insisted that increasing police patrols is urgently needed to avoid further violence and theft. "You hardly see the police attending to such incidents on time. More police…