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ECN gears up for voter registration

ECN gears up for voter registration

Niël Terblanché As the November Presidential and National Assembly elections approach, the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) has announced that it needs 997 vehicles to support the upcoming voter registration drive. De Wet Siluka, the ECN’s spokesperson, stated that most of these vehicles would need to be rented from private individuals. Out of the nearly 1,000 vehicles, 138 will be allocated for use in the Khomas Region alone. The ECN has previously informed prospective vendors that their vehicles must undergo inspection. According to Siluka, this requirement has led to a significant turnout of private vehicle owners at the Otjomuise Police…
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67 journalists imprisoned across Africa

67 journalists imprisoned across Africa

Martin Endjala The President of the Africa Editors Forum and chairperson of the steering committee of the Africa Media Convention (AMC) Churchill Otieno, says that according to the Committee to Protect Journalists’ annual Prison Census, at least 67 journalists were imprisoned across Africa in connection to their work as of 1 December 2023. He said this on Thursday, during the opening of the third AMC at the Accra International Conference Centre in Accra, Ghana. “As a fraternity, as a people, we must say and do all that is necessary to stop this wanton muzzling of agents of truth. Desmond Tutu…
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Zambezi residents remove regional sign board

Zambezi residents remove regional sign board

Martin Endjala Some residents of the Zambezi region removed the regional border signboard on Wednesday to express their dissatisfaction with the border between the Kavango East region and their region. The residents handed over the signboard to the Boundary Delimitation Commission during a consultation meeting at Katima Mulilo early this week. The residents told the commission that they would not wait for the commission to affect the change. The leader of the Zambezi Development Association, Blessing Manda, told the commission that they have been calling for the restoration of the old regional border for many years but to no avail.…
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Kasuto accused of illegal withdrawal of N$250 000

Kasuto accused of illegal withdrawal of N$250 000

Martin Endjala The former President of the Mineworkers Union of Namibia (MUN), Ismael Kasuto, is being accused of illegally withdrawing N$250 000 from the Namibia Miners Investment Trust (MAMIT), founded by MUN. This is according to the National Executive Committee (NEC), which discovered that on April 29, Kasuto allegedly withdrew the money for personal use by transferring it into one bank account of a local law firm to avoid future litigation. MUN's acting president, Poco Mberiuana, made this revelation on Thursday during a media update on the organisational self-correcting and renewal process. Mberiuana said that by the time Kasuto withdrew…
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Construction of 500-bed Windhoek district hospital commences

Construction of 500-bed Windhoek district hospital commences

Stefanus Nashama The long-awaited district hospital for Windhoek at Havana Informal Settlement has begun construction. Vice President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah officiated at the groundbreaking ceremony for the 500-bed hospital on Thursday. According to her, the construction of the new hospital represents the government's commitment to ensuring healthcare service delivery to its nation. She expressed confidence that the hospital's construction phase would create hundreds of jobs. “The contractor is under instructions to make sure that the people closer by should be the first beneficiaries,” she stated. Talks for the construction of the hospital have been ongoing for years. The City of Windhoek…
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Geingob’s vision to minimise ocean waste comes to fruition

Geingob’s vision to minimise ocean waste comes to fruition

Ester Mbathera Late President Hage Geingob's commitment to minimising seafood loss and waste transformation, with the goal of providing more food from the ocean, has come to fruition. This comes after the launch of the Namibia Ocean Cluster, Africa's first initiative with the mission of maximising the use of all seafood harvested. Supported by the World Economic Forum’s Ocean Action Agenda, this innovative non-profit entity is set to drive significant socio-economic and environmental benefits for the country. Geingob's involvement came from the participation in a high-level panel discussion for a sustainable ocean economy. Pierre le Roux, Seawork's Sales and Marketing…
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Namibia not affected by De Beers separation plans in RSA

Namibia not affected by De Beers separation plans in RSA

Erasmus Shalihaxwe De Beers Group Chief Executive Officer Al Cook said Anglo American's announcement regarding its intention to explore a range of options to separate De Beers' business will not affect its operations in Namibia and other countries. Cook announced this on Tuesday after Anglo American announced the demerging of its interests from De Beers. Cook said that De Beers Group remains fully focused on delivering its strategy and creating value in the interests of all its stakeholders. “De Beers has led the diamond industry for more than a century. We have unparalleled expertise, outstanding assets across more than 20…
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NIP employees receive salary increase

NIP employees receive salary increase

Stefanus Nashama Employees at the Namibian Institute of Pathology (NIP) received a salary increase of between six and 10 percent for the 2024/25 financial year. The Namibia Public Workers Union (NAPWU), which represented the employees, and NIP signed a collective wage agreement. According to a statement issued by NIP on Thursday, the agreement took effect on 1 April. Speaking at the signing ceremony, Mateus Ndeshikeya, the deputy general secretary of NAPWU, commended the parties for negotiating in good faith and avoiding the involvement of a third party. “We should continue finding amicable solutions without having to go to a third…
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Kelp Blue to list blue bond on NSX

Kelp Blue to list blue bond on NSX

CHAMWE KAIRA Kelp Blue, a company specialising in the cultivation of giant kelp with operations based in Luderitz, has forwarded the programme memorandum to the Namibian Stock Exchange (NSX) and is currently awaiting feedback. Anouk Bosman, head of marketing and communication told Observer Money this week that upon receipt, the company will proceed to submit a formal filing for listing. Kelp Blue aims to launch a blue bond programme towards the end of 2024, with the goal of raising US$20 million annually for four years. This funding will be utilised for the planting of up to 1000 hectares of kelp…
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Choppies to open seven more shops

Choppies to open seven more shops

CHAMWE KAIRA Choppies Enterprise Limited, the mother company of Choppies Supermarket Namibia (Pty) Ltd plans to open seven more shops in the country this year. Currently Choppies has 18 stores and is planning to open another three stores in the next few months as fit out of these stores are already underway, the company said in response to questions by Observer Money. “For 2024 we plan to open another seven stores.” Choppies said it is looking at expanding into the south of the country where the excitement around oil and green hydrogen is top of mind and the development which…
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