Observer – Page 490 – Windhoek Observer

13 May

Haufiku in appointment limbo

ObserverObserver MoneyBernard Haufiku, Covid-19, Ministry of Health and Social Services

Andrew Kathindi The National Coordinator for the response to COVID-19, Dr Bernard Haufiku, has still not received his appointment letter, nearly two months after his assignment to the position. Haufiku, who is the former Minister of Health, was appointed prior to Stage 1 of the national lockdown as the National Coordinator for the Covid-19 task force and emerged as the face of the response team, giving frequent updates on national statistics with regard to COVID-19. However, it is believed that Haufiku’s candid approach to how government handles the response including admitting the slow testing pace, has increased his credibility among…

13 May

The COVID-19 #newnormal won’t be business as usual

ObserverUncategorisedCovid-19, Namibia, school

Jan Coetzee Namibia, went into lockdown several weeks ago, our Government’s firm and swift response has so far kept the number of infections very low. Thankfully no deaths have been recorded either and Namibia may come out of this quite well. Certainly not discounting the damage to the economy or the closure of the schools and social activities that these necessary steps have caused. Eventually the economy will recover, kids will go back to school, but COVID-19 has left an indelible mark on our society and how we life, work and play. How we work is what I would like…

13 May

‘Namibianize’ Namibia

ObserverNational NewsNamibia, president Hage Geingob

Most Namibians love their country and do not divide their loyalty by ethnic, racial or tribal segments. They are proud Namibians. This is no less the case for us. But, when the members of boards, holders of high office and certain government job appointments, are only people from the Oshiwambo-speaking ethnic group, the playing field is uneven. This is a problem. Those responsible for this problem know that giving jobs or appointments based on tribal origin is unfair (and illegal). But, there is an unspoken arrogant response in the air, “We’ve done this and there is nothing you can do…

13 May

Handcrafted products: a revenue source for women

ObserverUncategorisedCovid-19, Handcrafted

Jackie Wilson Asheeke Can we get our crafts to the tourists, since the tourists cannot come to buy the crafts? Check out www.tenthousandvillages.com. According to the history on their website, the idea of bringing products made by women in developing communities to the USA for sale began with Edna Ruth Byler selling crafts from her car boot back in 1940. She worked with the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC). I was surprised when I read that part as I worked closely with the MCC during my days on Capitol Hill. They were very active in the anti-apartheid movement and worked hard…

12 May

Geingob drawn into CoW fight

ObserverObserver MoneyACC Director General, Paulus Noa

...as ACC declines to investigate appointment Staff Writer President Hage Geingob again has been entangled in the fight between the City of Windhoek (CoW) Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Robert Kahimise and the city council over its decision to reappoint City Police Chief Abraham Kanime on a three year contract. This comes after the CoW Chief Executive Officer wrote to the President on Friday asking for his intervention after the Swapo led council pushed through the appointment of Kanime despite a contradicting legal opinion and objection from Kahimise, who is the municipality’s chief accounting officer. When contacted for comment, Kahimise was…

12 May

BoN investigating WhatsApp Stokvel

ObserverObserver MoneyBank of Namibia (BoN), WhatsApp Stokvel

Staff Writer The Bank of Namibia (BoN) says it is still investigating whether the trending WhatsApp Stokvel are legal under the existing country’s banking laws. This comes as Namibians have been joining the stokvels as a means of making additional income under the harsh economic conditions persisting in the country. “Recently, the Bank has picked up a trending WhatsApp Stokvel, which it is assessing to determine whether it is permissible under the relevant provisions of the Banking Institutions Act of 1998, as amended,” BoN’s Deputy Director: Corporate Communications, Kazembire Zemburuka told the Windhoek Observer. He said the current laws does…

12 May

New appointments at CPBM

ObserverObserver MoneyCentral Procurement Board of Namibia (CPBN)

Staff Writer The Central Procurement Board of Namibia (CPBN) on Monday announced the appointment of 14 new staff members to fill vacant positions at the body tasked with leading the procurement process on behalf of government. Among those appointed are Saara Shapua who is now the CPBN’s Manager of Internal Procurement and Aune Ndeutepo who was appointed Manager of Finance and Administration. This comes after the organization was engulfed in a tribalism storm last year after it was reported that allegedly non-Oshiwambo-speaking employees at the CPBN were being removed by a group within the organization for supposedly being “unamenable to…

12 May

Momma Oteya has a baby girl

ObserverUncategorisedMother’s Day, Oteya

Staff writer Mother’s Day this year was a perfect celebration for popular Afro pop artist Oteya who was blessed with a bouncing baby girl a month before the popular day. The veteran songstress gave birth on the 1st of April 2020. Even more interesting, Oteya managed to have a baby on her own birthday! The former Gal Level queen confirmed the news on her social media posts. We had wondered what Oteya was up to these days. Lockdown is tough, but bonding with a new baby during these times is a blessing. We wish her a Happy Mother’s Day! Her…

12 May

Lioness finds closure with new song

ObserverUncategorisedLioness

Here to work through some recent heartache, Namibian rapper and singer Lioness has dropped a new album this week. She is switching things up from her usual rap-focused sound with something a little more melodic on Wish You Were Here from the album of the same name. As the track unfolds, on her smash hit video filmed in Cape Town, it becomes clear this is about more than the beautiful South African setting. “I wrote Wish You Were Here when I was infatuated with my ex-partner," Lioness told Complex via email. "It was a long-distance relationship where I felt very…

12 May

The price of not knowing why

ObserverNational NewsCovid-19, Government, schools

Our educational system teaches students to ‘do’ but not to think. Beneficiaries of apartheid and colonialism loved this. Thinking people will quickly and easily perceive weaknesses and attack strategically. After independence, in most public schools, that same back-handed educational trend continued. The reason changed. The priority was increasing higher literacy statistics and ‘grades.' The government did not want to slog up the hard road of educating teachers and teaching students critical thinking. In this pandemic, we now pay the price for this. We ask people to wear masks, but do not help them to understand why. That is the reason…