info_e12wt4cs – Page 355

13 Jun

SWAPO DRAGGED TO COURT:

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Five members of the SWAPO Party have taken legal action against their own party, seeking to invalidate a key decision made by the party's central committee to postpone the extraordinary congress to 19 April 2025. The applicants, Joshua Vaino Martins, Petrus Ndeshipanda Shituula, Aina Kalimba Angula, Reinhold Nghihepavali Shipwikineni, and Erich Chrismann Shivute, filed a Notice of Motion with the High Court of Namibia on Thursday. The motion requested the court to declare the Central Committee's decision to postpone the extraordinary congress instead of convening it 90 days after the death of the party president, Hage Geingob, invalid. The applicants…

12 Jun

Absolute final call for SIM card registration

info_e12wt4csNational News

Niël Terblanché Emma Theofelus, the Minister of Information and Communication Technology, has issued a final reminder to Namibians to register their SIM cards by 30 June to avoid complete disconnection. This update is part of an ongoing national exercise that commenced in 2021, aligning with international standards and the Communications Act of 2009. While addressing Parliament on Tuesday, Theofelus pointed to the substantial progress made in the SIM registration initiative. "As of 30 April 2024, we have successfully registered 91% of active SIM cards, up from 70.6% in February. This marks a considerable increase, with 2 172 379 SIM cards…

12 Jun

ECN hosts voter registration data locally

info_e12wt4csNational News

Erasmus Shalihaxwe The Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) has refuted claims that its voter registration data is hosted abroad by a company in Hong Kong as reported by a local daily newspaper. ECN Chief Electoral and Referenda Officer Peter Shaama said on Wednesday that the commission is dismayed by the misleading and unfounded article. He said the claims have the potential to create misperceptions among the ECN stakeholders and compromise the credibility of the voters' register. “The commission reassures its stakeholders, including members of the public, that the ECN Voter Registration System has never been and will never be hosted…

12 Jun

Covid-19 testing no longer required

info_e12wt4csNational News

Stefanus Nashama The Ministry of Health and Social Services says there is no need for operational testing centres for Covid-19 in the country. The ministry spokesperson, Walter Kamaya, said the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared that the pandemic is no longer a world health emergency. Kamaya said this in an interview with the Windhoek Observer on Tuesday. “We do not have any cases. We are not even talking about the wearing of a mask now. The 45th Covid-19 update has made it clear that the pandemic has subsided. We do not need operational testing centres,” he stressed. Kamaya pointed out…

12 Jun

Amended seed regulations aimed at ending hunger

info_e12wt4csNational News

Niël Terblanché Namibia's Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform (MAWLR) convened a workshop to gather stakeholder feedback on the proposed regulations for the Seed and Seed Varieties Act (No.23 of 2018). The workshop, launched by Deputy Minister Anna Shiweda on Wednesday, marks a step towards the finalisation and implementation of the Act's regulations aimed at fortifying the agricultural sector and ensuring food security, "We need inputs from all our stakeholders to finalise the regulations. Both small-scale communal farmers and large-scale commercial farmers play an essential role in Namibia's socio-economic development, and their voices must be heard," Shiweda declared, The…

12 Jun

Lukato wants railway connection between Grootfontein and Katima Mulilo

info_e12wt4csNational News

Erasmus Shalihaxwe Martin Lukato, the leader of the National Democratic Party (NDP), said his party is advocating for the construction of a railway line from Grootfontein to Katima Mulilo that would pass through the two Kavango regions. Lukato said this during an interview with the Windhoek Observer on Wednesday while explaining the party’s plans for the November elections. He said the rail services are affordable to ordinary people, and also that it is a safe mode of transport considering the number of road accidents the country has been experiencing over the years, so travelling by train can help reduce road…

12 Jun

Governor to discuss Waterberg farmland issue

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Stefanus Nashama The Governor of the Otjozondjupa Region, James Uerikua, will initiate procedures to investigate the dispute over land ownership at Okamuru Farm located in the Omatako constituency near Waterberg. This follows a situation where the owner of the farm, Joachim Rust, threatened to demolish the houses of the fifth generation of descendants of farmworkers residing on the farm. According to reports, Rust plans to evict the descendants and sell the farm to a German national for use as a game reserve or lodge. The initial eviction notice was given in 2019. Speaking to the Windhoek Observer on Wednesday, Uerikua…

12 Jun

Regional councillors urged to regularly update drought relief beneficiary list

info_e12wt4csNational News

Hertta-Maria Amutenja The Office of the Prime Minister has urged regional councils to continuously update drought relief beneficiary lists to ensure that only eligible individuals receive aid. The Executive Director in the Office of the Prime Minister, I-Ben Nashandi, stressed the importance of regularly identifying new beneficiaries and updating the current list to reflect those who meet the criteria. He said that some individuals registered since 2022 may no longer be eligible due to changes in their circumstances, such as relocating or finding employment. "A lot of people don’t know the true meaning of the drought programme. It is a…

12 Jun

Medicine shortages hamper health service delivery

info_e12wt4csNational News

Niël Terblanché Despite its critical role, the pharmaceutical sector in Namibia faces numerous challenges, including limited resources, a lack of local manufacturing capacity, medication shortages, and the need for better integration of pharmacy services into the broader healthcare system. The Deputy Minister of Health and Social Services, Ester Muinjangue, said this during the launch of the Annual National Pharmaceutical Services Forum on Wednesday. “Despite these challenges, there are numerous examples of innovative solutions and best practices that we can learn from and adapt to our context,” she said. The Annual National Pharmaceutical Services Forum serves as a platform for addressing…

12 Jun

Calls for criminal charges over Walvis Bay debt collection tender

info_e12wt4csFeatured, National News

Ester Mbathera An interim report on the controversial appointment of RedForce Debt Management Company as the exclusive debt collector for the Municipality of Walvis Bay has revealed severe procedural and financial irregularities. The report compiled by the municipality’s representative, Advocate Richard Metcalfe, seen by the Windhoek Observer, revealed that there appear to be various criminal offences arising from this preliminary investigation. Metcalfe suggested that the criminal offence be transferred to the authorities for prosecution after further investigation. “At this juncture, it is also already clear that the general manager for finance and manager for revenue and credit control will face…