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Bail granted in separate Ohangwena corruption cases

Bail granted in separate Ohangwena corruption cases

Staff Writer  Two public officials arrested in separate corruption cases in the Ohangwena region have been granted bail after appearing in the Eenhana Magistrate’s Court this week.  The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) arrested Chris Nghiilundilua (52) and Hendrina Ponhofi Diadaleni Kambudu (46) earlier this month. They were released on bail on 20 January. ACC interim spokesperson Marina Matundu said Nghiilundilua was granted bail of N$20 000, while Kambudu was granted bail of N$10 000. Nghiilundilua, a former senior administrative officer at the Ohangwena Regional Council's directorate of education, arts, and culture, was arrested in Eenhana on 19 January.  Matundu said he…
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YOUNG OBSERVER | #UNMUTED

This week’s edition of The Young Observer sits at an intersection many young Namibians are familiar with: the space between institutions and intent, between what exists on paper and what is felt in everyday life. Across these pages, we reflect on leadership, youth governance, access to opportunity, and the persistent question of relevance. These are not isolated themes. They are connected by a deeper tension shaping the youth sector today and the struggle to ensure that structures designed for young people remain responsive to their realities. The recent developments within the National Youth Council of Namibia have once again brought…
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YOUNG OBSERVER | Youth spotlight: Hendrina Kudhingililwa

YOUNG OBSERVER | Youth spotlight: Hendrina Kudhingililwa

Hendrina Kudhingililwa is a youth leader whose work centres on building organised, intentional spaces for young people to participate meaningfully in civic and community life. As president of the Tukwatha Youth Organization, she is focused on strengthening youth leadership through coordination, mentorship, and community-based engagement. Her leadership reflects a growing recognition among young leaders that impact is sustained not by visibility alone, but by structure, accountability, and continuity.  Through her work, Hendrina contributes to shaping a generation of young people who understand leadership as service, responsibility, and long-term commitment. Young Observer caught up with her to learn more about who…
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YOUNG OBSERVER | The National Youth Council and the question of youth politics

YOUNG OBSERVER | The National Youth Council and the question of youth politics

The recent leadership changes within the National Youth Council  have once again drawn public attention to a long-standing tension in Namibia’s youth sector: the uneasy relationship between youth politics and youth development. The resignation of an interim chairperson and the appointment of a successor are not, on their own, extraordinary developments. Leadership transitions occur in all institutions. What warrants reflection, however, is not the change itself but what such moments repeatedly reveal about the structure, culture, and purpose of youth governance in Namibia. For many young people, the National Youth Council is increasingly perceived less as a responsive development institution…
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Young Observer’s fighter of the week

Young Observer’s fighter of the week

Ba James Sankwasa  This week, we recognise the Minister of Urban and Rural Development as our Fighter of the Week. His recent public engagements and firm positions on urban governance and service delivery have sparked renewed debate on accountability, local leadership, and the pace of development. Whether one agrees with every position or not, leadership that provokes conversation, scrutiny, and public engagement is vital in a democratic society. For young people watching governance closely, these moments matter, as they demonstrate that public office carries both authority and responsibility. Share your fighter of the week (and why) with us via WhatsApp…
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Youth must still repay loans despite DBN write-offs – Ndala

Youth must still repay loans despite DBN write-offs – Ndala

Allexer Namundjebo Landless People’s Movement (LPM) youth leader Duminga Ndala says youth-owned businesses must continue to honour their loan obligations where possible.  This comes as the Development Bank of Namibia (DBN) announced it had written off about N$579 million in non-performing loans during the 2024/25 financial year as part of a balance sheet clean-up. Responding to questions from the Windhoek Observer on Thursday, Ndala said the loan write-off reflects the severe economic pressures facing borrowers across the economy but does not justify a blanket approach to debt relief for young people. “Young people who owe the bank should continue to…
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Telecom Namibia to invest N$2.3 billion in network upgrades

Telecom Namibia to invest N$2.3 billion in network upgrades

Chamwe Kaira Telecom Namibia plans to invest more than N$2.3 billion over the coming years to expand and upgrade its national telecommunications infrastructure, alongside a tariff rebalancing that will lower prices across several services from 1 February 2026. The company said the investment will expand fibre-to-the-home and business services, strengthen the national fibre network, upgrade mobile networks from 3G to 4.5G and prepare for 5G, and improve international connectivity through the Google Equiano undersea cable.  Funding will also go to billing systems, customer self-service platforms, cybersecurity, cloud services and backup power solutions. As part of the tariff changes, Telecom Namibia…
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TransNamib delays locomotive plans pending technical report

TransNamib delays locomotive plans pending technical report

Chamwe Kaira TransNamib Holdings Limited says the manufacturing of 20 locomotives has not yet formally started, with timelines and implementation dependent on the outcome of an independent technical report. TransNamib’s executive for commercial and marketing, Kendall Swartz, said only limited preparatory work has taken place so far.  This includes the stripping of two locomotives as part of preliminary remanufacturing activities. He said no completion timeframe has been set. Swartz told Observer Money that the cost of manufacturing the 20 locomotives and the expected savings will only be known once the independent technical report is finalised.  He said the report will…
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DBN approves 128 loans worth N$912.7m

DBN approves 128 loans worth N$912.7m

Staff Writer The Development Bank of Namibia (DBN) approved N$912.7 million in funding during the 2024/25 financial year, a marginal increase of 0.7% from the N$906.1 million approved the year before. Private sector approvals reached N$562.7 million, a slight drop from N$564.7 million in 2023/24. Public sector approvals rose to N$350.0 million, up from N$341.3 million in the previous year. DBN approved 128 loans during the year, fewer than the 141 loans approved in 2023/24. Start-up financing remained limited. The bank approved 15 start-up loans worth N$17.1 million in 2024/25, compared with 16 start-up loans totalling N$233.1 million the year…
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Nedbank seeks 66% stake in Kenya’s NCBA

Nedbank seeks 66% stake in Kenya’s NCBA

Chamwe Kaira Nedbank Group has announced plans to acquire about 66% of the issued share capital of NCBA Group Plc, a deal that would give the South African bank effective control of one of East Africa’s largest financial institutions. Nedbank said it has submitted a formal notice of intention to the NCBA board, the Capital Markets Authority, the Nairobi Securities Exchange and the Competition Authority of Kenya.  The group plans to acquire about 1.09 billion NCBA ordinary shares through a partial pro rata offer. Under the proposal, each NCBA shareholder may tender 66% of their holding.  Shareholders may also tender…
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