Windhoek Observer

11127 Posts
Old Mutual supports Katima Mulilo entrepreneurs

Old Mutual supports Katima Mulilo entrepreneurs

The 2024 Old Mutual Sustainable, Economic and Empowerment Drive (OM SEED) initiative recently highlighted the remarkable talents of individuals from Katima Mulilo, culminating in the celebration of three outstanding entrepreneurs. In collaboration with the Financial Literacy Initiative (FLI) and Basecamp Business Incubators, the Old Mutual Namibia Foundation is thrilled to announce the successful winners of the 2024 OM SEED Zambezi Region. Leading the charge and winning N$50 000 is Masule Branden Nchindo, the founder of BM Success Investment, specialising in horticulture and poultry farming. Nchindo's innovative approach to sustainable agriculture and his commitment to food security have set him apart.…
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FAO donates freezers to store vaccines

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has donated a freezer room and a cold storage room valued at approximately N$500,000 to the Ministry of Agriculture, Water, and Land Reform’s Directorate of Veterinary Services (DVS) to store animal medicine.The donation, according to a statement on Thursday, was made to the directorate’s satellite office in Nkurenkuru in the Kavango West region.These facilities are intended to aid in the fight against animal diseases and improve overall livestock health in regions north of the veterinary cordon fence.Sara Gottlieb, the State Veterinarian in Nkurenkuru, said that previously, they had to store vaccines in Rundu, a…
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Initiative to combat content piracy launched

Multichoice Namibia together with various organisations, on Wednesday launched the Partners Against Piracy in Windhoek.The initiative aims to combat issues in the creative sector and content piracy.Multichoice Namibia managing director Roger Gertze, said the company recognise the impact of such partnerships and their ability to connect diverse audiences on a global scale."Studies have shown that pirated streams and downloads disrupt every facet of the production value chain, directly threatening those who create and deliver content and Multichoice Namibia remains resolute in its determination to combat this threat," he said.The organisations in the partnership are Business Intellectual Property (Bipa), the Namibia…
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SWAPO DRAGGED TO COURT:

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…
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Absolute final call for SIM card registration

Absolute final call for SIM card registration

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…
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ECN hosts voter registration data locally

ECN hosts voter registration data locally

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…
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Covid-19 testing no longer required

Covid-19 testing no longer required

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…
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Amended seed regulations aimed at ending hunger

Amended seed regulations aimed at ending hunger

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…
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Lukato wants railway connection between Grootfontein and Katima Mulilo

Lukato wants railway connection between Grootfontein and Katima Mulilo

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…
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Governor to discuss Waterberg farmland issue

Governor to discuss Waterberg farmland issue

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…
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