Windhoek Observer

Allexer Namundjembo The 4th General Assembly of the African Seismological Commission (AfSC) is taking place in Namibia for the first time.  The three-day event, currently underway, has brought together seismologists from across Africa to discuss, collaborate, and improve regional seismic monitoring. Key topics include Namibia’s seismological network and a review of earthquake events in various African countries. Penda Ithindi, the executive director of Namibia’s Ministry of Mines and Energy, spoke at the opening of the Assembly yesterday at Avani.  He highlighted the growth of the AfSC since its launch in 2014. Ithindi emphasised the importance of seismology in addressing regional…

Niël Terblanché Farmers’ frustration over escalating stock theft and an inefficient criminal justice system took centre stage at a public hearing convened by the National Assembly’s Parliamentary Standing Committee on Constitutional and Legal Affairs on 13 February. The four leading agricultural unions joined forces to voice their concerns in parliament, urging authorities to take decisive action to address the growing crisis that threatens the sector’s sustainability. The Namibia Agricultural Union (NAU), Namibia National Farmers’ Union (NNFU), Namibia Emerging Commercial Farmers’ Union (NECFU), and the Previously Disadvantaged Commercial Farmers’ Union (PDCFU) presented a unified front in their submission to the committee.…

Staff reporter  The National Theatre of Namibia (NTN) has announced an extension for auditions for the Blended Voices – A Namibian Choral Celebration competition, giving choirs across the country more time to participate.  The audition deadline has been pushed to 26 February, while the competition itself has been rescheduled to 26 April. This national choral event offers choirs the opportunity to showcase their talents and compete for a grand prize of N$50,000. NTN aims to provide a platform for choirs to explore and reinterpret Namibian music, blending traditional and contemporary styles. According to NTN Public Relations Officer Desiree Mentor, the…

Niël Terblanché A United Kingdom-based investment firm Appian Capital Advisory LLP has announced the acquisition of a majority stake in Emesco Energy’s 5.4 MW photovoltaic installation near the Rosh Pinah Zinc Mine. The deal sets the stage for an expansion that will more than triple the plant’s current capacity to 16.3 megawatts, supplying the mine with cleaner and more cost-effective energy and is a substantial boost to the country’s renewable energy sector. In its statement announcing the takeover, Emesco managing director Rinus Strydom stressed the importance of the initiative and expanded on the financial and environmental benefits of the plans.…

Allexer Namundjembo John Nakuta, Namibia’s Media Ombudsman, advised bigger political parties to learn from Martin Lukato when it comes to media engagement.  He said this last week during the launch of the final election media monitoring report.  “We saw how Martin Lukato of the NDP worked. Due to financial constraints, he didn’t have much media coverage, but the little coverage he received single-handedly made people aware of him, and people voted for him. He is now coming to parliament next month. He is now known, and we have learnt from the media that he’s been around for a decade and…

Niël Terblanché The Namibian Judiciary has responded firmly to misinformation circulating on social media, which it says aims to discredit the institution’s integrity and transparency. In a statement issued by the Judiciary’s executive director, Benhardt Kukuri, the office reaffirmed its independence and commitment to upholding the rule of law. Kukuri stressed that the Judiciary operates independently in accordance with Namibia’s Constitution and the law, and it remains solely accountable to these guiding principles. “The members of Namibia’s Judiciary, bound by their oath to uphold and protect the Constitution, owe their loyalty exclusively to the Constitution and the law,” he said.…

Erasmus Shalihaxwe The president of the Republican Party (RP), Henk Mudge recently claimed that the apartheid South African government did not fight Swapo during Namibia’s liberation struggle but opposed the communist system Swapo leader Sam Nujoma aimed to implement. Mudge made these remarks during an interview with Hennock TV, an online show focusing on African politics, culture, and the environment.  “Nujoma made a lot of mistakes before and after independence. Some of those mistakes included allowing himself and other Swapo leaders to be influenced by communist countries like Cuba, Russia, China, and East Germany during the liberation struggle,” Mudge said.…