Featured – Page 12 – Windhoek Observer

29 Aug

HEROES DAY: FROM MEMORY TO MANDATE – A PAN-AFRICAN PERSPECTIVE

Featured, Opinions

PAUL T. SHIPALE (with inputs by Folito Nghitongovali Diawara Gaspar) The Unspoken Mandate Beyond the Rhetoric of Liberation For too long, the echoes of liberation speeches have reverberated across our Namibian landscape, promising unity, prosperity, and an end to the corrosive blight of corruption. A presidential address on Namibia’s Heroes’ Day, let it be understood, is no mere rhetorical exercise it is a profound symbolic act, designed to venerate our national heroes, to forge a deeper unity among our people, and to inextricably link the hallowed legacy of the past with the audacious vision of the nation’s future. Yet, beneath these…

29 Aug

OBSERVER DAILY | “You Can’t Stand Next to the River and Wash Your Face with Saliva”

Editorial, Featured, Opinions

There is an old Nigerian saying that goes, “You cannot stand next to the river and wash your face with saliva.” In other words, when abundance is at your feet, it is an insult to go thirsty. That proverb captures perfectly where Namibia stands today. Our nation sits on fertile soil, blessed with rivers, rainfall, and arable land that has for too long been left underutilized. It is against this backdrop that President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah’s recent visit to the green schemes of the Kavango East Region takes on profound meaning. On Thursday, she walked the fields of Shadikongoro, taking in the sunflowers…

28 Aug

OBSERVER DAILY | Electricity cannot become a luxury for the rich

Featured, Main, Opinions

There was a time, not too long ago, when a twenty-dollar note could buy you enough electricity to last a few days. Today, that same N$20 barely gives you a handful of units that flicker out before you even notice the lights are on. For many Namibians, this is no longer just a minor inconvenience. It is a looming crisis that threatens to turn electricity, one of the most basic necessities of modern life, into a luxury product reserved for the wealthy. On Friday, the Northern Regional Electricity Distributor (Nored) announced a 3.8% increase in tariffs for the current financial…

28 Aug

ALL THAT THE VICTIMS, OFFENDERS & COMMUNITY NEED IS CLOSURE AND INTEGRATION

Featured, Opinions

"A Call for a Gazetted True & Genuine National Reconciliation Policy" Lazarus Kwedhi The death of Solomon “Jesus” Awala, who was given a state funeral in recognition of his role as a liberation struggle hero, has reignited painful questions about Namibia’s war past. While many honour his military service as a PLAN fighter and former Chief of the Namibian Defence Force, others remember his alleged role in the torture and killing of comrades accused of spying in what became known as the Lubango Dungeons. His reputation as the so-called “Butcher of Lubango” has stirred deep anger among survivors and families…

28 Aug

Nasria pledges N$350 000 to support Brave Warriors

Featured, Sports

Erasmus Shalihaxwe The Namibia Special Risks Insurance Association (Nasria) has handed over sponsorships worth N$355 000, including N$100 000 in cash, to the Brave Warriors to support their FIFA World Cup preparations. Nasria marketing and sales executive Ndapona Schleberger said the contribution forms part of the company’s corporate social responsibility and represents an investment in Namibia’s human capital. “This investment fuels national pride, inspires our youth and supports our athletes as they represent Namibia on the world’s grandest sporting stage. The support we have handed over today represents far more than their monetary value. For the Brave Warriors, it is…

28 Aug

Capricorn Schools Netball League crowns 2025 champions

Featured, Observer Money

The 2025 Capricorn Schools Netball League concluded on Saturday with finals played at the Windhoek Gymnasium Netball Courts. Windhoek High School defeated Windhoek Gymnasium 29-27 in the Under-19 final to claim the title, while Windhoek Afrikaans Private School (WAP) took third place. In the Under-17 category, Windhoek Gymnasium overcame Windhoek High School 29-23 to win gold, with Jan Möhr Secondary School finishing third ahead of WAP. Windhoek Gymnasium also took the Under-15 crown after edging Tsumeb Gymnasium, as Windhoek High School settled for bronze. The Under-14 title went to WAP, who defeated Windhoek Gymnasium, while Windhoek High School placed third.…

27 Aug

Tough start for Beauties in CAF league

Featured, Sports

Erasmus Shalihaxwe FNB Women’s Super League champions, Beauties Football Club, suffer their second defeat at the CAF Women’s Champions League in South Africa on Sunday. South African league winners Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies defeated the Namibian champions 7–0. This came after their opening 3–0 defeat to Zambia’s Zesco Ndola Girls Football Club. Beauties, however, managed a 3–0 victory against Malawi’s Ntopwa Football Club over the past weekend. The Okahandja side is making its debut at the regional tournament, which serves as a qualifier for the CAF Women’s Champions League finals. The team is banking on a mix of youth and experienced…

27 Aug

OBSERVER DAILY | From scare Namibia to Air Namibia

Editorial, Featured, Opinions

When Air Namibia was grounded and liquidated in 2021, the decision was framed as bold fiscal discipline. After all, the airline had swallowed more than N$11 billion in government bailouts over two decades without ever finding sustainable profitability. To many, pulling the plug seemed the only sensible choice. But history has a way of exposing short-term decisions for what they truly are: costly miscalculations. Today, as President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah signals her government’s intention to reintroduce a national carrier, we are compelled to ask ourselves: was closing Air Namibia the right move? The answer is an emphatic no. In fact, the…

26 Aug

DAILY OBSERVER | Prime minister’s kindness: time for a rethink?

Editorial, Featured, Opinions

Prime minister’s kindness: time for a rethink? When President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah took the oath of office, she pledged inclusivity and fairness as guiding principles for her administration. “No special treatment” was her rallying cry, meant to signal a new era in which the government would lead by example, not by exception. Yet, one long-standing tradition continues to sit awkwardly alongside that promise: the so-called prime minister’s kindness. This is the practice of allowing public servants to leave work early, sometimes at 10h00, sometimes at 14h00, on the eve of public holidays. The reasoning has always been straightforward: give workers a…

25 Aug

Usakos allocates N$8 million for sports

Featured, Sports

Erasmus Shalihaxwe The Usakos Town Council has allocated N$8 million for the upgrading of two sports facilities. The projects form part of the national sport facilities development plan, which aims to ensure that all 14 regions and 121 constituencies have standard facilities for sport development. According to the council, the projects are being carried out in consultation with the ministry of education, innovation, youth, sports, arts and culture. “After an interactive and impactful meeting with the ministry, we are especially proud to announce that the Usakos Sports Field will be upgraded at an estimated cost of N$8 million,” the council…