Editorial

This week, Namibia witnessed a moment of quiet revolution in the nation’s healthcare system. The Motor Vehicle Accident (MVA) Fund’s donation of a state-of-the-art Lodox full-body X-ray machine to the Ministry of Health and Social Services marks not only a milestone for Katutura Intermediate Hospital but also a shining example of what can be achieved through public-private collaboration in addressing Namibia’s critical infrastructure challenges. Valued at over N$13 million, this generous gift is far more than a piece of medical equipment; it is a lifeline. Installed at the Katutura Intermediate Hospital’s emergency unit, the Lodox machine is the first of…

When the Windhoek Observer previously wrote that the National Youth Development Fund (NYDF) was “dead on arrival,” we did not make that assertion lightly.  Our conclusion stemmed from years of observing well-intended government initiatives being crippled by red tape, poor execution, lack of continuity, and, frankly, the failure to place the youth at the centre of development, not just in policy rhetoric, but in real, tangible action. However, today, we are prepared to re-examine our position. We are willing to say: we may have been too quick to write the fund off. The launch of the NYDF at Gobabis on…

Etosha National Park, the crown jewel of Namibia’s conservation and tourism legacy, is burning. It is not merely grass and trees that are turning to ash; it is our national pride, our environmental responsibility, and the livelihoods of thousands. As flames devour hectares of this irreplaceable ecosystem, what is perhaps more disturbing than the fire itself is the collective silence and stunning lack of urgency from those who ought to be leading the response. Where is the outrage? Where is the accountability? Etosha is not a small, peripheral reserve; it spans over 22 000 km², making it one of the…

As the Namibian nation commemorates the legendary Andimba Toivo Ya Toivo, a life-size statue of him will be unveiled on Robben Island in South Africa. This tribute is part of the historic Robben Island Prisoners Reunion, a key event celebrating the sacrifices of those who fought for the liberation of Namibia and South Africa. While this is a significant symbolic gesture, it raises a critical question: Is this enough for a leader whose legacy helped shape the very foundations of an independent Namibia? Andimba Toivo Ya Toivo deserves more than just a statue on a distant island; he deserves recognition…

Honourable Inna Hengari’s motion in Parliament to confront Namibia’s growing debt crisis is both timely and urgent. It is a wake-up call for leaders across the political spectrum and a reminder that economic reform is not a partisan luxury but a national necessity. The questions she poses are not merely technical; they cut to the heart of our collective future: can Namibia sustain prosperity and inclusion while a significant portion of its citizens live shackled by unmanageable debt? To dismiss this motion as party politics would be to miss the moral and economic emergency staring us in the face. Debt…

James Mnyupe’s sudden resignation from Namibia’s Green Hydrogen Programme is more than a routine personnel change, it is a serious blow to one of the most promising economic ventures this country has ever embarked upon. Let’s call it what it is: an initiator of a whole new industry is walking away mid-stream, and that cannot be good for Namibia. Mnyupe was not just another advisor tucked away in State House. He was the architect and chief salesman of Namibia’s green hydrogen dream. With a rare blend of financial expertise, CA, CFA, CFP, and an unmatched grasp of how global capital…

Namibia is increasingly confronted with a reality that is at once heartbreaking and urgent: young children from Angola, some accompanied, many unaccompanied, are roaming the streets of our towns and cities, from the border provinces to Swakopmund, Mariental, and beyond.They are searching for food, safety, perhaps even a future. We see them, we hear them, often feel pity, but we have not yet responded with the resolve, the coordination or the compassion this challenge demands.Former leaders like governor Sabastian Ndeitunga of Ohangwena and former president Hifikepunye Pohamba have raised the alarm. They stress that these children’s health and safety are…

When President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah walks up to the marble podium of the United Nations General Assembly for her maiden address, she will not simply be speaking for Namibia. She will carry the voice of a young African democracy with a hard-won independence and a people who have known both the scars of colonialism and the exhilaration of self-determination. Her speech will be more than a ceremonial debut; it is an opportunity to show the world what Namibia stands for and what it demands of a multilateral system under strain. This is a moment heavy with symbolism. Namibia has travelled a…

President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah’s latest round of ambassadorial appointments has ignited a lively national debate. All of the new envoys are seasoned diplomats, many of them retired, and their average age is noticeably high. For some Namibians, their appointment looks like a closed circle of trusted allies, an old guard rewarding loyalty and preserving networks built during the President’s long tenure as Minister of International Relations. For others, it is simply a pragmatic decision to deploy experienced professionals at a critical time for the country’s foreign policy. Both perspectives hold validity and underscore the intricate balance the President currently needs to…

For decades, the National Housing Enterprise (NHE) has been the government’s principal vehicle to meet one of Namibia’s most pressing social needs: decent and affordable housing. Yet the promise of shelter for all has repeatedly been deferred. Backlogs have grown. Informal settlements have multiplied. The gap between aspiration and reality remains a national embarrassment.  With the ink now dry on a five-year collaboration agreement between the NHE and the Roads Contractor Company (RCC), the message is unmistakable: it is now or never for the NHE to prove that it can deliver on its founding mandate. The agreement signed this week…