Windhoek Observer

11682 Posts
Deep Yellow CEO steps down

Deep Yellow CEO steps down

Chamwe Kaira Deep Yellow Limited has announced that its managing director and chief executive officer, John Borshoff, has stepped down from his position effective 20 October. Borshoff, who has led the company since 2016, will remain as an advisor until the end of November to ensure a smooth transition.  Under his leadership, Deep Yellow grew from a junior uranium explorer into an Australian Stock Exchange-listed producer-in-waiting with key assets in Namibia and Australia. During his tenure, Deep Yellow revitalised the Tumas Project in the Erongo Region, one of Namibia’s most advanced uranium developments, now nearing a final investment decision.  The…
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Nandi-Ndaitwah Sings 500,000 Job Creation Amid Vacancy Freezing

Nandi-Ndaitwah Sings 500,000 Job Creation Amid Vacancy Freezing

By Allexer Namundjembo President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has reaffirmed her administration’s ambitious goal of creating 500,000 jobs within five years, despite the government’s ongoing freeze on public service vacancies, a policy that continues to draw sharp criticism from the public and political commentators. Speaking at the inaugural Namibia Public-Private Forum in Windhoek on Thursday, the President said her government was determined to drive “a new era of decisive, efficient, and results-driven governance” focused on economic growth, inclusivity, and employment.  The job creation pledge is anchored in the recently launched Sixth National Development Plan (NDP6), themed “Fostering Economic Growth, Inclusiveness, and Resilience…
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Nasria pays N$16 million dividend

Nasria pays N$16 million dividend

STAFF WRITER The Namibia Special Risks Insurance Association (Nasria) has paid a dividend of N$16 million to the government after recording another strong year of financial and operational performance for 2024/2025. Nasria maintained its record of clean audits with another unqualified opinion, providing insurance cover against politically motivated and special risks not typically covered by commercial insurers.  The company has achieved this every year since its establishment. Insurance revenue increased by 6%, rising from N$84 million to N$89 million, supported by policy renewals and new business across several sectors.  However, the insurance service result fell by 23% to N$45 million…
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San youth thrives after support from Palms For Life

San youth thrives after support from Palms For Life

Allexer Namundjembo For 29-year-old Thusnelde Oases from the Hai//om San community, life has been a struggle marked by poverty and limited opportunities.  Growing up as the second last born in a family of eight in Grootfontein, she often saw her parents depend on their pensions to support the household. "With my parents relying on their pensions and limited job opportunities, it was tough to get ahead," she said. "But everything changed when I was given the chance to pursue my education through the Palms For Life Fund." That opportunity became a turning point in her life. Through the fund, Thusnelde…
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Swapo applauds youth mobilisation and peaceful campaign in Tanzania

Swapo applauds youth mobilisation and peaceful campaign in Tanzania

Renthia Kaimbi A high-level Swapo delegation led by former Namibian ambassador to China, Elia Kaiyamo and youth leader Klaivert Mwandingi attended Chama Cha Mapinduzi’s (CCM) final inland rally in Tanzania ahead of the 29 October elections. The rally, held in support of CCM’s candidate, President Samia Suluhu Hassan, showcased strong youth participation and a commitment to peace.  It also brought together several liberation movements, including South Africa’s ANC, Mozambique’s FRELIMO, Zimbabwe’s ZANU-PF, and Angola’s MPLA. Kaiyamo said the event demonstrated unity and inclusivity.  “It is true, the rally was overwhelmingly dominated by eager young men and women, which is the…
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Murambinda residents want climate funds to reach affected communities

Murambinda residents want climate funds to reach affected communities

Moses Magadza and Cleophas Gwakwara Citizens of Murambinda, Zimbabwe, have urged Parliament to strengthen environmental accountability, decentralise climate governance, and ensure the fair distribution of climate funds as lawmakers continue nationwide consultations on the Climate Change Management Bill. The Joint Portfolio Committee on Environment, Climate and Wildlife and the Thematic Committee on Climate Change on Wednesday held their second public hearing at the Better Schools Programme of Zimbabwe (BSPZ) Centre in Murambinda in Manicaland province.  The hearings are being conducted in line with Section 141 of the Constitution, which enjoins Parliament to consult citizens during law-making processes. The consultations are…
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YOUNG OBSERVER | #UNMUTED

Parliament recently revisited the long-delayed Mental Health Bill. The minister of Health and Social Services, Dr Esperance Luvindao, confirmed that the bill is in its final stages of review and will soon be resubmitted to legal drafters. This comes after years of delays in replacing the outdated Mental Health Act of 1973, a law that no longer reflects the realities of modern mental health care in Namibia.  News outlets earlier in the week reported that employers would no longer be able to discriminate against mentally ill people; of course, that caused an uproar. While the discussion may seem technical or…
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YOUNG OBSERVER | What the midterm budget review means for young people

YOUNG OBSERVER | What the midterm budget review means for young people

For many young Namibians, national budget week can feel like a distant ritual of suits, numbers and long speeches. Yet buried inside those tables and statements are quiet decisions that shape whether you can find work after graduation, launch a small business, afford the bus to campus or access decent health care when you finally go off your parents’ medical aid (by the way, can the age for this please be 25 because wow).  The national budget is, in effect, the country’s annual values statement: it reveals what we choose to protect, where we are willing to take risks and…
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YOUNG OBSERVER | Capturing the youth vote – Should we lower the voting age to 16?

YOUNG OBSERVER | Capturing the youth vote – Should we lower the voting age to 16?

Every election cycle in Namibia, the same question returns with new urgency: how do we get more young people to register, to show up and to cast informed votes? With a median age under 25 and a growing cohort of first-time voters, the stakes are obvious. Some countries have responded by lowering the voting age to 16 for certain elections. Should Namibia follow suit? The debate is not simply legal but civic, educational and cultural. This article unpacks the case for and against lowering the voting age and asks a deeper question: regardless of the threshold, what would it take…
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YOUNG OBSERVER | Discovering Namibia’s Gems: Gondwana’s Okapuka Lodge

YOUNG OBSERVER | Discovering Namibia’s Gems: Gondwana’s Okapuka Lodge

Fifteen minutes north of Windhoek’s city limit, the beat of urban life softens into savanna. Kalahari thorn trees punctuate golden grass, kudus watch from the treeline, and the sky pulls its favourite Namibian trick—an endless, impossible blue. This is Gondwana’s Okapuka Lodge: a safari lodge that sits close enough for a spontaneous day trip, yet vast enough to remind you why people fly across oceans to be here. For young professionals juggling deadlines and dreams, Okapuka offers a rare combination: restorative nature you can access between breakfast and a 3pm Zoom call, plus a gentle nudge into a slower, more…
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