Editorial

Namibia has recorded its first confirmed case of mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, and while that headline alone may alarm some, this moment should be seen as an opportunity for vigilance, not fear. The Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS) has moved swiftly to isolate the patient, begin contact tracing, and activate the national emergency response system. That decisive action deserves commendation. In times like these, calm professionalism matters just as much as medical expertise. Understanding Mpox: What we are dealing with Mpox is not new to Africa or to the global health landscape. It’s a zoonotic viral disease,…

The Namibian government must understand this once and for all: jobs are not political slogans to be thrown around at convenience, they are a matter of national survival. Every mixed message, every contradictory pronouncement, and every vague promise chips away at public confidence and deepens the despair of thousands of unemployed Namibians. When the Office of the Prime Minister announced recently that all unadvertised government positions would be frozen, many citizens reluctantly accepted it as part of much-needed fiscal discipline. The assumption was simple: government is tightening its belt to control the ballooning public wage bill, prioritising efficiency and redirecting…

When Dr Ndjodi Ndeunyema recently travelled home to Namibia, it was for a profoundly personal reason, to marry the woman he loves, herself an academic of exceptional calibre. The Windhoek Observer congratulates the newlyweds and celebrates their union as a joyful reminder of what Namibian brilliance looks like. But this editorial is not about romance; it is about recognition. It is about celebrating excellence and asking whether, as a nation, we truly value our best minds. Dr Ndjodi Ndeunyema represents the very best of Namibia, a young, highly accomplished scholar who has distinguished himself on one of the world’s most…

General (Rtd) Denga Ndaitwah’s recent public lecture at the University of Namibia’s School of Military Science was not just a reflection on leadership; it was a sober call to national reality. With characteristic clarity and discipline, Namibia’s First Gentleman and former Chief of the Namibian Defence Force reminded us of an uncomfortable truth: Vision 2030 risks becoming a beautiful but empty academic document unless its ambitions are grounded in the lived realities of our people and implemented with unwavering commitment. A vision without a compass Vision 2030, unveiled two decades ago, remains one of the most aspirational national blueprints in…

When the Port of Walvis Bay slipped in the latest global port efficiency rankings, the news landed with the weight of disappointment. For years, the Namibian Ports Authority (Namport) has stood as a model of national competence, a success story of what a well-run public enterprise can be. Walvis Bay, in particular, has symbolised Namibia’s gateway to global trade, a logistical hub linking southern Africa to the Atlantic and beyond. Namport attributes the decline in ranking to global shipping disruptions, and that explanation is not without merit. The world’s supply chains have been in disarray for years, buffeted by overlapping…

There are sporting victories that fill us with joy, and then there are victories that alter the very texture of national identity. Namibia’s stunning triumph over South Africa is one of those seismic moments when a nation’s pulse quickens, its spirit expands, and its people, regardless of tribe, class, or geography, breathe as one. On that unforgettable day, before more than 4,000 roaring fans, Namibia did the unthinkable: they toppled the mighty Proteas. Scenes from that match tell it all, Namibian flags waving wildly in the evening air. It wasn’t just a cricket match. It was poetry. It was payback…

When a 21-year-old woman is caught smuggling cannabis and illicit tobacco into police holding cells at Oshakati, one has to pause and ask: what is really going on? How did we arrive at a point where criminal activity boldly infiltrates the very sanctum of law enforcement, the police station itself?  If the walls of a police station can no longer guarantee security from contraband, then Namibia’s war against drugs may already be slipping through our fingers. This week’s arrest at the Oshakati Police Station is not an isolated incident; it is a symptom of a wider malaise. The young woman,…

The legal battle unfolding in the High Court over the joint Namibia–Germany genocide declaration is far more than a constitutional dispute; it is a moral mirror reflecting how we, as a nation, navigate justice, memory, and sovereignty in the postcolonial age.  On one side stands the Landless People’s Movement (LPM), flanked by descendants of the Nama and Ovaherero communities, arguing that the government has betrayed their cause by defending the former coloniser. On the other side stands the government, represented by Namibian lawyers, insisting that it is merely clarifying legal principles, not shielding Germany from accountability. But in politics, as…