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OBSERVER DAILY | Parliament in chaos: A national embarrassment

The scenes that unfolded in Parliament on Thursday were nothing short of disgraceful. What should have been an ordinary sitting of the National Assembly turned into chaos when Affirmative Repositioning (AR) members clashed with Speaker Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila. The events left Namibians shaking their heads, wondering whether the institution meant to embody our democracy is losing its way. It began when AR member Tuhafeni Kalola rose without permission and refused to take his seat when instructed to do so. The Speaker ordered him out of the chamber, but he refused. When security officers were called in, fellow AR MPs Job Amupanda…
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National Literary Festival aims to open markets for authors

National Literary Festival aims to open markets for authors

Julia Heita The National Literary Festival will return in October 2025 with a focus on strengthening the role of Namibian literature in education and creating greater market access for local authors. The two-day event will take place at the National Library of Namibia in Windhoek. Organised by the National Arts Council of Namibia through its literature committee, the festival will run under the theme “Open a Book”. Writers, publishers, educators, and literature enthusiasts are expected to gather for panel discussions, workshops, book exhibitions, author signings, and a “Read Corner” aimed at promoting a reading culture among both children and adults.…
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BOOK REVIEW | A symbol of a people’s determination: THE WINDHOEK OLD LOCATION by Henning Melber and Dieter Hinrichs

BOOK REVIEW | A symbol of a people’s determination: THE WINDHOEK OLD LOCATION by Henning Melber and Dieter Hinrichs

Kae Matundu-Tjiparuro Indeed there could be no more befitting title than A Symbol of People's Determination, a book about the history of the Old Location, the residential area of the indigenous Africans in the then Apartheid South West Africa. Before their forceful removal in the late 1960s from the Old Location, present-day Hochland Park residential area in Windhoek. Befitting title in the sense that indeed the Old Location gave genesis to present-day Katutura. Not as it is today when it has sprawled all over. But then only a small conclave of brick houses spread over a radius of eight (8)…
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OBSERVER DAILY | An inconvenient truth: Namibia’s silent suicide crisis

Namibia is facing an inconvenient truth, one we have been too timid to confront head-on: suicide is claiming lives at an alarming rate. Among those who have chosen this tragic path are not only men and women buckling under social and economic strain, but children, our children. Every report of a life cut short is not merely a statistic, but a devastating rupture in families, communities, and the nation’s future. And yet, as the suicide rate climbs, our national response remains timid, fragmented, and inadequate. President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah was correct to express concern about suicides in her recent address. But…
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SUCCESSION PLANNING, A MISSING LINK IN NAMIBIA’S PUBLIC ENTITIES

SUCCESSION PLANNING, A MISSING LINK IN NAMIBIA’S PUBLIC ENTITIES

Lusia Kornelius and Zucky Bauleth-Nashima  Succession planning within Public Entities (PEs) has been overlooked, and failure to implement it can lead to operational inefficiency, derailed strategy implementation and financial losses. When key officials retire or leave unexpectedly, institutions are compelled to conduct external searches for replacements matching the qualifications and years of expertise. While replacement is inevitable, the process is usually lengthy, as it requires an extensive hiring process, which can contribute to operational stagnation and sometimes a management vacuum. These recruitment processes can incur financial implications, which could otherwise be utilised to fund key company projects and improve service…
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OBSERVER DAILY | The middleman syndrome: How Namibia bleeds through procurement

The Minister of Health and Social Services recently boasted that the ministry saved more than N$200 million through better procurement practices. On the surface, this is good news. But before we clap, let’s pause. Why should we celebrate a ministry for simply not wasting money? Praising a government department for finally buying goods at fair value is like applauding a fish for swimming. It exposes the rot in our procurement system rather than proving its efficiency. And at the heart of this rot is the phenomenon of “middlemen.” The mrise of the middleman Middlemen exist in every economy. They connect…
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OBSERVER DAILY | Bantustan ghosts in a unitary state

President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah’s address to the 26th Annual Meeting of the Council of Traditional Leaders should send shivers down the spine of anyone who cares about Namibia’s unity. On the surface, her speech was respectful and conciliatory, an olive branch to chiefs, hompas, and traditional authorities across the land. But between the lines lay a sobering warning: our country risks sliding back into a Bantustan mentality, the very disease our liberation struggle sought to cure. The illusion of tradition Let us be brutally honest. Traditional authorities play a role in our cultural identity. They preside over rituals, settle minor disputes,…
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365 days of palliative care operations in Namibia

365 days of palliative care operations in Namibia

Rolf Hansen The Cancer Association of Namibia (WO30) proudly marks the first anniversary of the House Zietsman Care Facility, under the auspices of Palliative Care Namibia, a programme in our organisation. This milestone offers an opportunity to reflect not only on victories but also on the many challenges that continue to shape our journey. It has not been an easy road. Yet the reward has been overwhelmingly positive. One lesson stands out clearly – the understanding of palliative care, even within Namibia’s broader medical ecosystem, remains limited. Too often, there is a reluctance to confront the reality of death and…
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OBSERVER DAILY | Namibia’s unequal struggle: From recognition to real action

When Finance Minister Erica Shafudah addressed over 800 delegates and 80 central bank governors at the Alliance for Financial Inclusion (AFI) Global Policy Forum in Swakopmund, she did something that deserves recognition: she confronted the uncomfortable truth. Namibia, three decades after independence, remains one of the most unequal societies in the world. The minister did not hide behind slogans or polished talking points. Instead, she acknowledged that inequality, rooted in colonial dispossession and apartheid exclusion, continues to cast a long shadow over our democracy. That candor matters. Too often, governments facing stubborn structural problems resort to denial or distraction. Commending…
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OBSERVER DAILY | GIPF-backed home loans: Hope or hidden risk?

For many Namibians, home ownership remains more of a dream than a reality. The numbers are sobering: a housing backlog of 300,000 units, more than 200,000 shacks in Windhoek alone, and an average three-bedroom house in the capital costing around N$1.2 million. Against this backdrop, the Government Institutions Pension Fund (GIPF) has launched its Pension-Backed Home Loan Scheme (PBHLS), which will take effect next January. The scheme allows civil servants and other GIPF members to use up to one-third of their pension savings as collateral for a home loan. On paper, it promises cheaper financing, easier access, and the dignity…
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