Featured – Windhoek Observer

27 Oct

OBSERVER DAILY | Oil Dreams and Hard realities: Namibia must demand good jobs from foreign investment

Editorial, Energy, Featured, Opinions

Namibia’s growing oil and gas ambitions have once again come under scrutiny, and rightly so. The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) has sounded a sober warning that, despite the euphoria surrounding recent discoveries, the promise of thousands of jobs may not materialise as projected. In a country where unemployment hovers around 33%, and where the youth, the majority of the population, bear the brunt, it is not just a question of how much oil lies beneath our seabed, but whether that wealth will translate into decent, sustainable livelihoods for Namibians. The mirage of job creation According to government projections,…

24 Oct

Murambinda residents want climate funds to reach affected communities

Featured

Moses Magadza and Cleophas Gwakwara Citizens of Murambinda, Zimbabwe, have urged Parliament to strengthen environmental accountability, decentralise climate governance, and ensure the fair distribution of climate funds as lawmakers continue nationwide consultations on the Climate Change Management Bill. The Joint Portfolio Committee on Environment, Climate and Wildlife and the Thematic Committee on Climate Change on Wednesday held their second public hearing at the Better Schools Programme of Zimbabwe (BSPZ) Centre in Murambinda in Manicaland province. The hearings are being conducted in line with Section 141 of the Constitution, which enjoins Parliament to consult citizens during law-making processes. The consultations are…

24 Oct

YOUNG OBSERVER | #UNMUTED

Featured, Opinions

Parliament recently revisited the long-delayed Mental Health Bill. The minister of Health and Social Services, Dr Esperance Luvindao, confirmed that the bill is in its final stages of review and will soon be resubmitted to legal drafters. This comes after years of delays in replacing the outdated Mental Health Act of 1973, a law that no longer reflects the realities of modern mental health care in Namibia. News outlets earlier in the week reported that employers would no longer be able to discriminate against mentally ill people; of course, that caused an uproar. While the discussion may seem technical or…

24 Oct

YOUNG OBSERVER | Namibia’s tech wave – How young innovators are redefining the digital future

Featured, Observer Money

If you listen closely in Windhoek’s coffee shops, Keetmanshoop’s municipal offices, Walvis Bay’s port control rooms, and Oshakati’s school computer labs, you can hear it: a low, bright hum of ambition. Namibia’s tech wave is not a Silicon Valley clone; it’s a scrappy, practical movement of young builders who are using code, connectivity and common sense to solve local problems then scaling those solutions to regional markets. With 5G lighting up in major cities, universities investing in AI and robotics labs, and a growing ecosystem of angel meetups, hackathons and accelerators, this is a good time to place a bet…

23 Oct

OBSERVER DAILY | The Dark Side of Likes: When Teachers Turn Learners into Social Media Content

Editorial, Featured, Opinions

The warning by PDM member of parliament Rosa Mbinge-Tjeundo could not have come at a more crucial time. Her call for greater scrutiny of how some teachers are using learners to create social media content must serve as a national wake-up call. Namibia is fast catching up with the global trend where schools, classrooms, and even children’s private moments are turned into digital entertainment, often without consent, without understanding the consequences, and without any protection for the minors involved. What was once a space for learning and mentorship, the classroom, is now becoming a stage for online fame. Teachers who…

23 Oct

THE TIDE LINE | Mpox in Namibia: A wake-up call, not a cause for panic

Featured, Opinions

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,…

23 Oct

OBSERVER COASTAL | Swakop Uranium donates 1 000 goats and sheep to Erongo farmers

Featured

Renthia Kaimbi Swakop Uranium has donated more than 1 000 goats and sheep valued at N$3 million to farming cooperatives in the Erongo Region. The donation is part of its Hope Farm Project, which aims to create sustainable livelihoods for women and youth. The announcement was made during the launch of the company’s 2024 Sustainability Report on Tuesday, where government leaders and industry representatives shared a collective vision for mining as a driver of national development. Erongo governor Natalia |Goagoses said the event reflected strong collaboration between government, industry, and communities. She praised Swakop Uranium’s continued investment in social development…

22 Oct

OBSERVER DAILY | Carnage on our roads: Enough is enough: We must all act

Editorial, Featured, Opinions

Namibia is once again mourning. Eight lives, fathers, mothers, children, breadwinners, dreamers, lost in an instant at Oniimbwele village. The images and reports from the scene are gut-wrenching. A nation stands in grief, united by sorrow but also by frustration, because deep down, we know that much of this tragedy was preventable. Every holiday, every long weekend, every festive season, the pattern repeats itself: twisted metal, flashing sirens, tears by the roadside, and the haunting wail of families shattered forever. Then come the statements, the condolences, the promises, and we move on. Until the next one. This cycle of mourning…

21 Oct

Job search mistakes you should stop making as a fresh graduate

Featured, Opinions

Stepping into the world of work after graduation is both exciting and overwhelming. The thrill of completing your studies and preparing to make your mark in the professional world often meets the reality of fierce competition, rejection emails, and long waiting periods. Many fresh graduates fall into common traps that delay their success or prevent them from securing the opportunities they deserve. Understanding these pitfalls is crucial because your early career decisions can either propel you forward or keep you stuck in uncertainty. One of the most frequent mistakes fresh graduates make is applying for every job they come across…

21 Oct

OBSERVER DAILY | Mpox in Namibia: A wake-up call, not a cause for panic

Editorial, Featured, Opinions

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,…