Windhoek Observer – Page 87 – Windhoek Observer

25 Aug

City police deputy chief appeals high court eviction ruling

National News

Hertta-Maria Amutenja Windhoek City Police deputy chief for operations, senior superintendent Eliaser Iiyambo, and his brother Simon have appealed a High Court ruling that ordered them to vacate land they seized from their late uncle’s widow. The case stems from the death of dentist Daniel Uutoni in March 2019. Uutoni had married Aili Ndapandameme Iilende in 2018, and the couple lived at their homestead in Okathitukambanda village near Okahao. After his death, the Iiyambo brothers allegedly evicted Iilende and her three children from the family homestead, locked the properties, and began occupying them. In October 2020, the Ongandjera Traditional Authority,…

25 Aug

Onandjokwe maternity ward to open in October

National News

Erasmus Shalihaxwe The construction of the maternity ward at the Onandjokwe Intermediate Hospital is nearing completion. The ward will open its doors on 20 October 2025. The 120-bed facility, the first of its kind in the country, includes dedicated first and second stage rooms, doctors’ on-call rooms, a nurses’ lounge, reception areas, private rooms, gynaecology outpatient rooms, procedure rooms, and a specialised obstetrics and gynaecology theatre. Construction started in 2016 at a cost of N$60 million to address the shortage of maternity wards in the country, especially in the northern regions. The project faced delays after the initial contractor failed…

25 Aug

Government seeks N$2 billion from bond market

Observer Money

Chamwe Kaira The Bank of Namibia (BoN) will conduct a bond auction on Wednesday to raise N$2 billion. The issuance includes N$1.5 billion in nominal fixed-rate bonds and N$500 million in inflation-linked instruments. This comes after BoN announced that an additional N$2 billion will be raised through the domestic market because of delays in external sourcing. Overall banking industry liquidity currently stands at N$7.4 billion, with the Namibian position at N$1.67 billion. Kara van den Heever of Simonis Storm Securities said the previous bond auction drew strong interest, with bids of nearly N$1.7 billion against an initial offer of N$487…

25 Aug

Mining Chamber warns rare earth, lithium policies will stifle investment

Observer Money

Chamwe Kaira The Chamber of Mines of Namibia has warned that the government’s requirement to process rare earth elements and lithium locally could deter investment. The chamber said the deposits are often small, and the policy creates uncertainty, limiting their development. It also raised concerns about the requirement for farmland transfer when acquiring a mine or mining license, saying the process is slow and creates unnecessary delays. On the Fraser Institute Survey, Namibia’s ratings improved, with its Investment Attractiveness Index rising from 56 in 2023 to 66 in 2024. The country’s global ranking climbed to 35th out of 82 jurisdictions,…

25 Aug

MTC focuses on innovation amid rising competition

Observer Money

Chamwe Kaira Mobile Telecommunications Company (MTC) says it will continue focusing on customer value and innovation as competition in the mobile market grows. “The Namibian market, particularly the space of data service consumption, is continuing to grow and becoming more attractive,” said Erasmus Nekundi, corporate communications practitioner at MTC. “As an institution that has now existed for 30 years, built from the ashes by the Namibian people, sustained by the Namibian people, working for the Namibian people, and proudly connecting Namibia will continue to be at the forefront of technology and innovation as the market evolves.” His comments follow confirmation…

25 Aug

FirstRand Namibia earnings expected to increase by 15%

Observer Money

Chamwe Kaira FirstRand Namibia Limited expects earnings and headline earnings for the year ended 30 June 2025 to rise by 10% to 15% compared to the previous year. “The main drivers of the increase in headline earnings are growth in customers, increased customer activity and effective cost containment. The group’s audited financial results will be released on or about 11 September,” the Namibian Stock Exchange, listed company said in a trading statement. For the year ended 30 June 2024, the group, which includes FNB Namibia, recorded a net profit after tax of N$1.704 billion, up from N$1.561 billion in the…

25 Aug

Usakos allocates N$8 million for sports

Featured, Sports

Erasmus Shalihaxwe The Usakos Town Council has allocated N$8 million for the upgrading of two sports facilities. The projects form part of the national sport facilities development plan, which aims to ensure that all 14 regions and 121 constituencies have standard facilities for sport development. According to the council, the projects are being carried out in consultation with the ministry of education, innovation, youth, sports, arts and culture. “After an interactive and impactful meeting with the ministry, we are especially proud to announce that the Usakos Sports Field will be upgraded at an estimated cost of N$8 million,” the council…

25 Aug

DAILY OBSERVER | Steering Namibia’s Oil with an Unusual Crew

Editorial, Featured, Opinions

Namibia’s oil and gas sector is standing on the edge of history. For decades, we dreamed of “the big find,” and now that dream is reality. Oil is no longer a rumour off our shores, it’s here, commercially viable, and promising to change the face of our economy forever. But here’s the catch: how we manage this industry from day one will determine whether Namibia becomes a success story or just another African country that struck oil and ended up poorer for it. That’s why leadership matters. The people at the top set the tone, negotiate the deals, and decide…

22 Aug

Katima dissolution forces fresh Swapo candidate list

Main

Renthia Kaimbi Swapo leaders assigned to the Zambezi region will meet in Katima Mulilo this weekend to reset candidate nominations for the local authority elections. The meeting follows the recent dissolution of the Katima Mulilo Town Council by minister of urban and rural development James Sankwasa. The dissolution, announced this week, nullified the participation of former councillors on the party’s established candidate list. Under party rules, sitting councillors who have not been recalled usually receive automatic entry onto the candidate list. “The dissolution breaks the chain of continuity. The council no longer exists in its previous form, so the mechanism…

22 Aug

No case filed at ACC on Nust corruption claims

National News

Allexer Namundjembo The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) says it has not received a formal complaint regarding allegations of corruption at the Namibia University of Science and Technology (Nust). This follows claims of corruption, nepotism, and financial mismanagement at the university. A 40-page dossier allegedly addressed to ACC director general Paulus Noa, accuses Nust vice-chancellor Erold Naomab and several senior officials of orchestrating schemes that syphoned millions of dollars from the institution through irregular procurement, abuse of authority, and reckless spending. According to the document, Naomab surrounded himself with allies strategically placed in key positions, including Klemens /Awarab, special adviser; Browny Mutrifa,…