Featured – Page 3 – Windhoek Observer

12 Mar

Hot water, cold reality

Editorial, Featured

This week we witnessed what should have been a routine maintenance matter elevated into a moment of political theatre: the restoration of hot water at one of the country’s major public hospitals. The ministers responsible deserve acknowledgement for taking decisive action. But while we congratulate them for addressing a deeply embarrassing situation, the circumstances surrounding this “achievement” raise troubling questions about the priorities of governance in our country. Let us begin with the obvious. The absence of reliable hot water in a major national hospital is not merely an inconvenience. It is a failure of basic governance. Hospitals are places…

12 Mar

OBSERVER COASTAL | Walvis Bay warns against illegal stand rentals at Farm 37

Featured, National News

Renthia Kaimbi The Walvis Bay municipality has warned that the subleasing of residential stands at Farm 37 threatens fair access to land for residents waiting for legal allocation. Deputy mayor Miina Hangula raised the concern during the launch of the municipality’s 2026 public meeting series held at Farm 37 on Monday. The meeting drew strong attendance from residents and focused on service delivery updates and land allocation concerns. Hangula said the subleasing of stands undermines municipal policies and prevents residents from accessing land through official processes. Council representatives condemned the practice and urged residents to report any cases to the…

12 Mar

OBSERVER COASTAL | Lifeguards warn of drowning risks as heatwave hits coast

Featured, National News

Monarch Lifeguard and Emergency Rescue Services has urged the public to exercise caution near water as heatwaves continue to affect Namibia’s coastal towns. The organisation warned that high temperatures are drawing more people to beaches and increasing the risk of drowning. Founder Marthin Muyenga said families must take extra care when visiting the ocean. “This is the right time as a parent to advise your little ones not to come and swim at the beach without any parental supervision or at a beach without lifeguards. Therefore, let’s take this precaution very seriously,” Muyenga said. He said the current weather conditions…

12 Mar

OBSERVER COASTAL | Rössing donates N$135 000 to Swakop Striders

Featured, National News

Renthia Kaimbi Rössing Uranium has donated N$135 000 to the Swakop Striders Running Club following the recent Rössing national marathon held in Swakopmund. The funds were raised through registration fees collected during the event held on 7 March. The donation will support the club’s programmes and assist local long-distance athletes in the Erongo Region. The contribution forms part of Rössing Uranium’s community support initiatives aimed at promoting sport and healthy lifestyles. An additional N$20 010 raised from entry fees for the 5 km Fun Walk was donated to the Cancer Association of Namibia. Corporate communication manager at Rössing Uranium, Daylight…

11 Mar

Housing urgency must not replace accountability

Editorial, Featured

President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah’s directive to bypass standard government tender procedures for a rapid-build housing initiative reflects a sense of urgency that few Namibians would dispute. The country’s housing backlog continues to grow, informal settlements expand year after year, and the promise of affordable shelter remains out of reach for thousands of families. Any initiative that claims it can deliver houses within days at a cost as low as N$50,000 will inevitably attract attention and hope. But hope, when combined with haste and limited oversight, can also produce costly consequences. The proposal currently receiving presidential support involves the use of alternative…

09 Mar

Dialogue must move Namibia from courtesy to concrete action

Editorial, Featured

In a political age increasingly defined by polarisation, spectacle and hardened ideological lines, the decision by President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah to engage the leadership of opposition parties is a gesture that deserves recognition and encouragement. Democracy does not thrive merely through elections; it flourishes through constant conversation between those who govern and those who challenge power. Since assuming office in March 2025, Nandi-Ndaitwah has initiated consultations with leaders of political parties represented in the National Assembly, including the official opposition, the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC), led by Panduleni Itula. She has also met representatives from the Popular Democratic Movement (PDM)…

06 Mar

Regulating the ride: Government must bring order to Namibia’s e-hailing revolution

Editorial, Featured

The rise of e-hailing services in Namibia has exposed a familiar dilemma facing governments across the world: how to regulate innovation without stifling it. Platforms such as Yango, InDrive and LEFA have rapidly become a visible part of the urban transport landscape, particularly in Windhoek. Yet their growth has triggered escalating tensions with traditional taxi operators, raised safety concerns, and highlighted gaps in Namibia’s transport laws. At the heart of the conflict lies a regulatory vacuum. Namibia’s Road Traffic and Transport Act of 1999 was written long before smartphones and app-based mobility existed. As a result, e-hailing services have expanded…

06 Mar

The motion to preserve the memory and legacy of the founding father of the Namibian nation: The future of institutional memory in Namibia

Featured, Opinions

Paul T. Shipale (with inputs by Folito Nghitongovali Diawara Gaspar) When a Nation Confers the Title of Founding Father When a nation confers the title of 'Founding Father' by statute, it does more than honour a historical figure. It legislates memory. It transforms history into law. Once history enters the legal order, it demands institutional expression. Namibia now stands at such a constitutional moment. Ten months ago, the Leader of the Popular Democratic Movement (PDM), Hon. McHenry Venaani, submitted a series of parliamentary questions to the Prime Minister, Dr Elijah Ngurare, calling for cost-cutting measures by repurposing state offices for…

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…