Blog

Allexer Namundjembo The Ongwediva Town Council has called on residents to refrain from occupying land illegally. In an interview with the Windhoek Observer, town spokesperson Otilie Shingenge revealed that the local authority has identified several illegal shacks in the Omatando area. She cautioned residents against unlawful land occupation to avoid penalties or the risk of losing their properties. "The Council's process involves notifying the owner through markings on the shack, giving them seven days to remove it. If the owner fails to do so, the Council, empowered by the Town Planning Scheme, is authorized to remove the shack. I don't…

Martin Endjala A community leader from the Ndongo village, Martin Maghano has criticised the Divundu Village Council for failing to bring essential services closer to the people. He expressed disappointment over the lack of notable progress since the establishment of Divundu's village council seven years ago. “There is only one road and a mini-mall with a few shops,” he said. Divundu has a mall owned by Chinese businesswoman Stina Wu, which houses a supermarket, a furniture store, a stationery shop, and several clothing shops. The village also has a Metro wholesaler, a building warehouse, and a Shoprite that is expected…

Niël Terblanché By adopting sustainable methods, Uganda hopes to learn from Namibia to balance the demand for charcoal with the imperative of environmental conservation, ensuring that the sector contributes to the country's economic development without compromising its natural resources. In a bid to address the environmental challenges posed by traditional charcoal production, the Ugandan government, in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), has initiated the "Forest Management and Sustainable Charcoal Value Chain in Uganda" project. As part of this endeavour, FAO Uganda and FAO Namibia have organised a five-day study visit to Namibia. According…

Erasmus Shalihaxwe The current rate of rainfall across Namibia will continue at the same pace until March according to a forecast by the Namibia Meteorological Service. Beata Iipinge, a meteorological technician at the service, told the Windhoek Observer on Wednesday that their weather forecast conducted in late December indicates normal rainfall throughout January, February, and March. “The prediction shows normal rainfall for the entire country throughout those months, but things can still change depending on various factors affecting the weather,” said Iipinge. Namwater spokesperson Lot Ndamanomhata said that the water level in major dams across the country keeps rising. This,…

Stefanus Nashama The Katutura Residents Committee (KRC) has called on the City of Windhoek (CoW) to take immediate action and relocate all residents in high-risk flood zones within the Katutura area. In a letter addressed to CoW's chief executive officer, Moses Matyayi, on Sunday, the committee spokesperson, Shaun Gariseb, urged for urgent consideration of relocating people who reside in flood-prone areas. Gariseb highlighted several areas at risk, including Namibia Primary School in Marula/Rykmansdorp, Soder Water in Shandumbala, the Herero location at the intersection of Mungunda and August Tjaapa streets, and the Eiland location. He stressed that many of the residents…

Niël Terblanché The Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS) has reassured the public that the increase in acute respiratory infections caused by the Human Metapneumovirus (hMPV) in the northern provinces of the People's Republic of China is not a cause for alarm. This was said by Ben Nangombe, the executive director of the health ministry, in a statement on Wednesday. “The observed increase in cases of respiratory infections in China and other countries in the Northern Hemisphere is an expected phenomenon around this time of the year due to winter weather conditions,” Nangombe explained. Nangombe assured Namibians that the…