Editorial – Windhoek Observer

12 Feb

Another shack fire, another funeral, another promise unkept

Editorial

At 03h00 on Tuesday morning in Kuisebmond’s Kilimanjaro Street, neighbours were awakened by screams. Not by thunder. Not by celebration. Not by alarm sirens. By screams. By the time they ran outside, a hardboard shack was already engulfed in flames. Inside, trapped, were 20-year-old Beauty Guidao-Oas and her two-year-old niece, Gloria Guibes. Neighbours tried to break into the structure. They tried to save them. The fire was too fierce. It spread rapidly, consuming six shacks and affecting fourteen people. By sunrise, two lives were gone. Another shack fire. Another funeral. Another police statement confirming bodies transported to the mortuary and…

11 Feb

Diamonds in decline: Namibia’s economic backbone faces a wake-up call

Editorial

For decades, diamonds have been more than just glittering stones in Namibia. They have been a symbol of national pride, a key driver of economic growth, and a cornerstone of our export-led economy. Today, however, the foundations of this once-stable sector are visibly shaking. Global demand remains subdued, diamond prices have declined, and established players like De Beers, long regarded as a pillar of the industry, are under mounting pressure to reassess their market valuation. The choices made in the coming months will have profound consequences for our nation, our businesses, and the livelihoods of thousands of Namibians. The signals…

10 Feb

Why Namibia’s Constitution Day must matter more than ever

Editorial, Featured

Every year on 9 February, Namibia marks Constitution Day. It is a date that should command national attention, deep reflection and collective pride. Yet too often it passes quietly, almost unnoticed, despite the immense significance it holds in the life of our Republic. On 9 February 1990, just weeks before Independence, the Namibian Constitution was adopted, laying the legal and moral foundation upon which our democracy was built. This year, Constitution Day falls in a month heavy with national grief and remembrance. On 8 February, the nation mourned the passing of its Founding Father and first President, Dr Sam Shafiishuna…

09 Feb

Justine Shiweda did not have to die; not like this

Editorial, Featured

Namibia is mourning, but mourning alone is not enough. The death of Justine Shiweda, a public prosecutor who died from injuries sustained in a brutal, targeted attack, should leave this nation shaken to its moral core. She did not die of illness. She did not die by accident. She died in the line of duty because she dared to do her job. And that should outrage every single one of us. Justine Shiweda did not deserve to die. Not like this. Not violently. Not as a warning. Not as collateral damage in a society that too often shrugs when women…

06 Feb

When tourists become targets, the nation is at risk

Editorial

President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah’s warning about the rising incidents of crime targeting tourists should be taken with the seriousness it deserves. Speaking at the opening of the Legal Year at the Supreme Court, the President correctly noted that such crimes do not merely harm individual victims but threaten jobs, livelihoods and Namibia’s hard-earned global reputation. These are not abstract concerns. They go to the heart of our economy, our national identity, and our moral compass as a people. We share the President’s concern deeply. Yes, tourism is a commercial industry. It generates revenue, supports employment and contributes significantly to national development.…

05 Feb

Petroleum Amendment Bill: dead on arrival?

Editorial, Featured, Opinions

The Petroleum Amendment Bill is back before the National Assembly, retabled on Wednesday by the Minister of Industries, Mines and Energy, Modestus Amutse. On paper, it is presented as a technical adjustment to Namibia’s petroleum governance framework. In substance, however, it represents a profound shift of power, one that would allow the President of the Republic to grant and revoke oil and gas rights. From the very onset, it is clear that this bill will be vehemently opposed. Not because Namibians are anti-development, nor because they are hostile to investment in oil and gas, but because the bill raises serious…

04 Feb

Parliament at a crossroads: choose law-making over theatre

Editorial, Featured

The official opening of the third session of the eighth Parliament by President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah signals more than the start of a new legislative calendar. It represents a moment of reckoning for Namibia’s Legislature, a chance to reset, to refocus, and to recommit itself to the serious business of governance. The President’s address was firm but measured, and its underlying message was unmistakable: Namibians are watching Parliament closely, and they expect results, not spectacle. Her call for members of Parliament to strengthen their role in advancing inclusive development and participatory democracy was timely. Across the country, citizens are grappling with…

03 Feb

Vision without specifics risks losing public confidence

Editorial, Featured, Opinions

President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah’s address at the official opening of Cabinet for the 2026 calendar year was, by all accounts, polished, optimistic, and rhetorically disciplined. It emphasised commitment, unity, and the high expectations Namibians have for their leaders. It recognised achievements, highlighted ongoing initiatives, and called for renewed focus as the administration advances toward Vision 2030. Yet, for all its lofty language and moral gravitas, the speech reveals a recurring challenge in Namibian political communication: ambition that is often unaccompanied by concrete operational clarity. In short, while the words inspire, they leave many questions unanswered. The President began appropriately, welcoming cabinet…

02 Feb

Bold promise, a delicate test: welcoming the national pension and medical funds with caution

Editorial, Featured

President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah’s directive to the Social Security Commission (SSC) to implement a National Pension Fund (NPF) and a National Medical Benefit Fund (NMBF) by 1 April marks one of the most ambitious social policy announcements in recent years. On paper, the move is progressive, humane and long overdue. It speaks directly to the anxieties of ordinary Namibians who worry about life after retirement and the ever-rising cost of healthcare. For that alone, the initiative deserves to be welcomed. Yet, ambition without execution has been the undoing of many well-intentioned reforms in Namibia. As the country cautiously applauds this announcement,…

30 Jan

Dear Inspector General Joseph Shikongo,

Editorial, Featured, Opinions

We write to you as the Windhoek Observer, and by extension on behalf of a concerned but hopeful Namibian public, to commend the Namibian Police Force for launching a national crime prevention operation scheduled to run from 30 January to 1 February across all 14 regions of our country. At face value, this is a welcome and necessary intervention. More importantly, it is long overdue. For far too long, crime has crept steadily into every corner of Namibian life, from our cities to our villages, from our homes to our places of work. What was once sporadic has become routine.…