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Erasmus Shalihaxwe Opposition party leaders have expressed disappointment that most Namibians don't mind a dominant-party system as long as elections are free and fair. This reaction follows an Afrobarometer study, which revealed that a majority of Namibians believe it does not matter if one political party always wins elections and continuously governs the country, provided the elections are free and fair. Joseph Kauandenge, the secretary general of the National Unity Democratic Organisation (NUDO), bemoaned the indoctrination that has led people to view a one-party state as innocuous. “I thought by now they had embraced democracy as a better system of…

Stefanus Nashama Joseph Kauandenge, the secretary general of NUDO, has refuted allegations that he received payment to withdraw from the party presidential contest. Kauandenge said this in an interview with the Windhoek Observer on Monday. “I stated my reasons for opting out of the race for the presidency at the media briefing I had, where I expanded in detail on them, and they are still valid today. And no one paid me to fade out of the race. I really don't know who would want me not to run. To achieve what objective?” he said. He explained that he does…

Martin Endjala The Gibeon Village Council is conducting a valuation of rateable properties for the entire village. The primary goal of the on-site inspection is to collect information that the valuers will use to determine the value of each property. The Council issued a notice dated 17 June, appointing BNK Investment CC as their valuer in terms of Section 67(1) of the Local Authority Act No. 23 of 1992, as amended. During the valuation process, the appointed valuer will conduct an onsite inspection of every property in Gibeon. Data collectors will visit houses between 8:00 and 19:00 from Monday to…

Martin Endjala The Omaruru municipality and MTC signed a memorandum of understanding to address challenges with the town’s service delivery by creating an avenue for the use of smart meters via the communication service provider’s network. Sindonga Valentinus, the municipality's Chief Executive Officer, announced the revolutionary use of technology to improve service delivery. “As you all know, MTC is nationwide. Everybody is using MTC SIM cards. Now the challenge that we have in our town is that. If the SIM card has a problem, you must travel as far as Otjiwarongo or Swakopmund. Just to have a SIM card replacement.…

Martin Endjala The town of Karibib needs a third service station to meet the growing demands of its inhabitants and visitors. According to the mayor, Davey van Wyk, the town is facing challenges due to the high influx of cars and travellers passing through it. The two service stations currently in use, according to van Wyk, are frequently overwhelmed by large numbers of cars and people. “To make it worse, they are too close to each other. That is why we need another service station at the end of the town to address this issue,” he said. The mayor said…

Niël Terblanché In an effort towards strengthening environmental protection, the Minister of Environment, Forestry and Tourism, Pohamba Shifeta, has urged traditional leaders to adhere to the Environmental Management Act (EMA) when allocating land. The minister spoke at the appointment of new environmental officers in Windhoek on Friday. Shifeta expressed concerns over the illegal sale and allocation of land in protected areas, as well as the authorization of activities that negatively impact the environment without obtaining the necessary environmental clearance certificates. Shifeta stressed the critical role of traditional leaders in safeguarding the environment, noting that their decisions have far-reaching consequences for…

Hertta-Maria Amutenja International organisations and local activists have expressed support for the Namibian High Court’s ruling that declared the sodomy law unconstitutional and invalid. The Southern Africa Litigation Centre (SALC) congratulated Friedel Dausab and the Namibian legal team for this landmark ruling on their social media platform X. "Well done to the legal team," SALC said. Global Black Gay Men Connect celebrated the ruling, stating, "We celebrate today's high court ruling in Namibia that declared the criminalisation of sexual acts between men in Namibia as unconstitutional and invalid! Sodomy and 'unnatural sexual offences' are common law crimes that are unconstitutional…