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Niël Terblanché Namibia is hosting the second edition of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG) workshop in Windhoek. The workshop, with the theme "From Frontier to Discoveries: Namibia's Journey to Major Oil and Gas Discoveries," began on Monday. The event follows the successful inaugural edition of the grouping, which focused on Namibia’s noteworthy progress in the oil and gas sector. In her keynote address, Maggy Shino, Namibia's Petroleum Commissioner, outlined the nation’s remarkable journey in oil and gas exploration. She described the journey as a story of innovation, strategic foresight, and international collaboration, integral to Namibia's emergence as a…

Niël Terblanché The Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security has acknowledged challenges with the national document registration programme. On Friday, the human rights organisation accused the ministry of being inconsistent in the issuance of Namibian citizenship identity cards. NamRight's executive director, Phil ya Nangoloh, cited widespread complaints from citizens and residents about the slow processing of applications and the lack of proof of application issuance. “Many other residents complain about voter disenfranchisement. Specifically, they claim that in the past, those residents who were not in possession of both birth certificates and identity documents used to vote through representation.…

Martin Endjala The Landless People's Movement Party’s (LPM) leader, Bernadus Swartbooi, said that the much-criticised Redforce Debt Management Company (RedForce) should not be blamed for doing its job. He argued that the local authorities should bear the responsibility for their ineffective revenue collection. Swartbooi made this statement at a press conference earlier this month in response to increases in electricity and water prices. "We must ask the question: why have local authorities, post-independence, had reduced capacity for revenue collection? This is because the funding to local authorities has decreased. It is because that funding went down that the local authorities…

Martin Endjala Evalistus Kaaronda, president of the South Africa West National Union (Swanu), says marijuana should only be used for medical purposes if it is legalised. Kaaronda made this statement to the Windhoek Observer over the weekend, in response to a high court case on marijuana that Kadhila Amoomo, a legal practitioner law firm, filed. Last week on its social page, the law firm announced that it had launched a case in the high court to legalise the private use of marijuana for health and recreational purposes. The matter was opposed and postponed by the presiding judge, Eileen Rakow, to…

Hertta-Maria Amutenja A sergeant in the Namibian Police Force has been reinstated after winning his dismissal case against the Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security. Nico Poniso Mulonda was discharged from the force in December 2022 following allegations of misconduct. The Windhoek High Court confirmed a settlement agreement on 16 July between MHAISS minister Albert Kawana and the ministry, which agreed to reinstate Mulonda. "The Respondent shall reinstate the Applicant in his position as Sergeant (02) within 30 days from the date this settlement agreement is made an order of court. The Respondent shall pay to the Applicant…

Niël Terblanché The Inspector General of the Namibian Police, Lieutenant General Joseph Shikongo, inaugurated new police facilities in the Oshana region over the weekend. The newly inaugurated facilities are a state-of-the-art police station in Okatyali and improved infrastructure at the permanent police checkpoint near Ongwediva. At the inauguration ceremony, Shikongo highlighted the ongoing challenge of insufficient office space, which has hindered the effective deployment of police personnel. “The completion of new facilities such as this one is a welcomed development that will allow us to make proper and suitable deployments of our men and women in uniform,” he said. Shikongo…

Martin Endjala The Council of Churches in Namibia (CCN) has proposed the establishment of a youth employment and enterprise development fund targeting unemployed graduates. Uhuru Dempers, the CCN’s head of the social economic justice unit, in this regard, submitted inputs to the mid-term budget review during the national budget discussions last week in Windhoek. “We propose that the government consolidate current initiatives to provide credit and loan opportunities for the youth through the establishment of a youth employment and enterprise development fund targeting unemployed graduates from vocational training programmes, universities and colleges,” he said. Dempers said the fund should not…

Moses Magadza in Gaborone, Botswana The 5th edition of the Southern African Regional Students and Youth Conference on Sexual and Reproductive Health (SARSYC V) ended in Gaborone, Botswana, on Friday, with the delegates challenging authorities to act on health issues affecting them. In a communiqué dubbed the "Gaborone Declaration," which was adopted at the conclusion of a three-day conference held from 17-19 July 2024, the participants urged SADC member states to promptly address the issue of new HIV infections among young people and key populations. They emphasised the importance of strengthening domestic funding and expanding comprehensive, youth-friendly sexual and reproductive…

Niël Terblanché The Khomas Region activated the National Symbols Campaign last week. The campaign aims to promote national identity and unity among all Namibians. The deputy minister of information and communication technology, Modestus Amutse, launched the campaign, saying it is an important milestone in the country’s journey towards national cohesion. "Our national symbols - the flag, the coat of arms, the national anthem, and the presidential standard - serve as powerful reminders of our shared history, values, and aspirations. These symbols bind us together as one nation and one people. We must uphold and celebrate these symbols, for they represent…