Featured – Page 3 – Windhoek Observer

05 Mar

Is this what the youth is telling us about the future?

Editorial, Featured

Chaos in the National Assembly is no longer shocking. It is becoming routine. This week, proceedings descended into disorder after National Unity Democratic Organisation (Nudo) member of parliament Vetaruhe Kandorozu questioned the citizenship of deputy minister of education, innovation, youth, sport, arts and culture Dino Ballotti and told him to “go back to Italy.” The deputy speaker, Phillipus Katamelo, ruled the remarks unparliamentary. Swapo members of parliament walked out in protest after the matter was referred to the standing committee on rules. The session collapsed. We have written before about the conduct of our parliamentarians, on both sides of the…

04 Mar

Are we outsourcing the bench ?

Editorial, Featured

The Office of the Judiciary this week announced the appointment of former judges from the region to Namibia’s High Court. A former judge of the High Court of Botswana, Gabriel Komboni, has been appointed on contract for two years and five months. Two Zimbabwean jurists, retired High Court judge David Mangota and former High Court judge James Devittie, have been appointed as acting judges for three years. On paper, these are distinguished legal professionals. Their experience is not in question. Regional judicial exchange is not uncommon, and cross-border appointments can, in certain contexts, strengthen jurisprudential coherence within the Southern African region. Yet the announcement…

03 Mar

Sports betting: Why government must act now

Editorial, Featured

Psychologists are sounding the alarm: online gambling is rising sharply among young people, with a notable increase among young women. They warn that smartphones and social media have normalised gambling in a generation already weighed down by unemployment and financial pressure. In Namibia, this is not an abstract concern. It is a flashing red light. We have seen this movie before. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Namibia witnessed the rapid proliferation of shebeens across the country. At the time, the argument was framed as progressive and economically empowering. Legalising and tolerating informal bars was presented as a pragmatic…

02 Mar

Rising reserves reflect stability and a moment to consolidate

Editorial, Featured

Namibia’s international reserves rose to N$51.9 billion at the end of January, driven by inflows from the Southern African Customs Union (SACU). In an uncertain global environment marked by currency volatility, geopolitical tension and tightening financial conditions, this development is a welcome affirmation of macroeconomic stability and disciplined fiscal management. For a small, open economy such as ours, international reserves are not abstract accounting figures. They are the backbone of financial credibility. They ensure the country can meet its import obligations, service external debt and cushion itself against global shocks. Crucially, they sustain confidence in the one-to-one peg between the…

02 Mar

TURNING POINT | Budget reflections: Structural realities facing Namibian entrepreneurs

Featured, Opinions

When the minister of finance tabled the national budget, I listened through two lenses: that of a citizen concerned with fiscal sustainability and that of an entrepreneur operating within Namibia’s regulatory and commercial framework. A national budget is more than a fiscal ledger; it is an institutional signal of how the state conceptualises growth, allocates risk and positions the private sector within the broader development agenda. The budget reflects an awareness of competitiveness. Yet it also underscores structural constraints that continue to shape the ease of doing business in Namibia. These constraints are not abstract debates confined to policy forums;…

27 Feb

YOUNG OBSERVER | Fuelling the high performer

Featured, Opinions

Physical health is the primary engine of cognitive performance, yet the link between nutrition and daily productivity is often overlooked in the rush of a demanding professional schedule. To maintain high levels of focus and energy throughout the day, it is essential to view food as more than just a source of satiety because nutrition is the biological foundation that dictates mental clarity, decision-making capacity, and the ability to sustain effort over long periods. Whether managing a complex technical project, studying for advanced professional qualifications, or navigating a fast-paced corporate environment, your output is intrinsically tied to your metabolic input.…

27 Feb

YOUNG OBSERVER | The N$100 billion conversation

Featured, Opinions

This week, the minister of finance stepped up to the podium in Parliament to table the 2026/27 national budget. For many young Namibians, this moment often feels like a distant exercise in accounting—a series of dry numbers and complex fiscal terms that belong to the world of politicians and economists. However, in a year defined by shifting energy landscapes and a total transformation in how we access education and healthcare, this budget is the most important document you will not read. It is the blueprint for your economic survival and the primary tool that will determine whether the "New Namibia"…

27 Feb

YOUNG OBSERVER | From Ohangwena to the world

Featured, Latest

The ecosystem of opportunity in Namibia is undergoing a radical shift as the traditional focus on the central administrative hub of Windhoek begins to give way to a more decentralised and inclusive model of economic empowerment. At the heart of this transformation is the Ohangwena Regional Governor’s Office, which has recently secured a landmark partnership with the Tony Elumelu Foundation to launch a dedicated entrepreneurship programme for the 2026 cycle. This collaboration is not merely a regional win but a national milestone that demonstrates the power of local government acting as a sophisticated bridge to global philanthropic capital. For the…

27 Feb

A budget that stabilises but does not transform

Editorial, Featured, Opinions

When minister Ericah Shafudah tabled the N$104 billion national budget this week, she presented it as a careful balancing act between fiscal discipline and developmental necessity. On paper, it is a responsible document. In substance, however, it raises a more difficult question: is Namibia managing decline cautiously or building growth boldly? The answer, at least for now, leans toward caution. The numbers are instructive. Of the N$104 billion, a staggering N$81.3 billion is directed toward operational expenditure, salaries, administration, recurrent costs and the machinery of government. Only N$6.5 billion is earmarked for development spending. That ratio should concern anyone serious…

26 Feb

Beifang must not put profits before people

Editorial, Featured

At the heart of the latest labour unrest at Beifang Mining Technology Services (BMTS) at the Husab project is a question far larger than shift rosters or bonus formulas. It is a question about corporate citizenship, respect for Namibian labour law, and whether profitability can ever justify practices that workers experience as punitive and unfair. BMTS, a contractor operating at the Husab Mine, has in recent weeks found itself once again at odds with its workforce and the Mineworkers' Union (MUN). While earlier tensions centred on a revised shift roster that led to the dismissal of approximately 11 workers, the…