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Hertta-Maria Amutenja Sex workers in Namibia used International Sex Workers Day on 2 June to renew their call for the government to reform laws that criminalise their work. While exchanging sex for money is not illegal in Namibia, laws under the Combating of Immoral Practices Act and municipal by-laws criminalise related activities.  These include public solicitation, brothel operation, procuring sex work, and exposing oneself in public. Deyonce Naris, who identifies as a sex worker, said the current legal setup puts them at risk and prevents them from reporting crimes. “We cannot report crimes committed against us because we are criminalised…

Allexer Namundjebo The City of Windhoek is under fire for poor road repairs, with residents and activists saying the work is already falling apart just months after rains damaged streets across the capital. Katutura Residents Committee spokesperson Shaun Gariseb questioned whether the City is following proper standards.  He believes the current approach does not meet those requirements. Gariseb said some roads are wearing off even without rain and warned that the City is wasting money on temporary fixes instead of doing proper repairs.  He added that the poor work affects residents financially, especially those with low-profile cars.  He said his…

Justicia Shipena Fabupharm (Pty) Ltd says its children’s paracetamol syrup is safe.  The pharmaceutical company, based in Otjiwarongo, said it has not received any formal notice from the Namibian Medicines Regulatory Council (NMRC) indicating that its paracetamol syrup is defective, unsafe, or non-compliant. This comes after parliamentarian Job Amupanda claimed he has evidence that the syrup is unsafe.  The paracetamol syrup is used to treat pain and fever in children. In a media statement, Fabupharm said the syrup is manufactured under strict international Good Manufacturing Practices standards, following guidelines from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and local laws. The company…

Hertta-Maria Amutenja The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform has condemned the eviction of generational workers from farms, calling the practice “inhumane” and “unacceptable”. Minister Inge Zaamwani spoke out during a handover of resettlement allotment letters in Windhoek on Tuesday. “The practice of forcefully evicting long-serving generational farm workers and abandoning them in corridors next to the roads is not only inhumane but is also unacceptable. We urge all farm owners to exercise restraint from such practice and embrace dialogue in order to seek dignified and sustainable solutions, which uphold the dignity and rights of such individuals, who…

Hertta-Maria Amutenja Leaders from the Ovaherero and Nama communities have announced they will not attend the official Genocide Remembrance Day on Wednesday, 28 May.  They say the government failed to properly consult them and excluded them from the planning process. The commemorative event follows the Cabinet’s proclamation last year, declaring 28 May as Genocide Remembrance Day.  The event will take place at Parliament Gardens in Windhoek. In an open letter dated 25 May 2025, co-King Sir Welcome Kazondunge of the Tjipumbu Traditional Authority called on all Ovaherero and Nama traditional authorities to stay away from the national event. “Genocide memorialisation…

Allexer Namundjebo Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) director general Paulus Noa denies having any personal vendetta against Minister of Urban and Rural Development James Sankwasa amid a dispute over a consultancy contract awarded to the minister’s company. In an interview with the Windhoek Observer yesterday, Noa said the ACC does not take matters personally.  “How can I have something personal against the minister? We are not investigating a person; we are investigating a process,” he said. Noa explained that a report was filed with the ACC on 7 May, alleging that a consultancy contract was awarded to a firm linked to Sankwasa…

Allexer Namundjebo The Ministry of Home Affairs is in hot water after a man discovered his identity documents had allegedly been used fraudulently by another person.  Months after the incident was reported, the ministry confirmed forgery but has yet to provide any answers. Matheus Matheus, a resident of Arandis, found out about the identity breach in July 2024.He was applying for a passport at the Swakopmund Home Affairs office when officials told him his name and ID number were already in the system, but his photo and signature didn’t match. He was then referred to the ministry’s head office in…

Justicia Shipena Ombudsman Basilius Dyakugha says the British tourist arrested for taking nude photos of San children might not have been aware of the children’s state of dress due to the cultural context of their attire. He said the way children from communities like the San and Ovahimba dress may appear nude or semi-nude by Western standards, but this is part of their traditional way of life. “But as you know, our kids in certain communities like the San people and the Himba people, this is their way of life. They don’t dress up properly. If you look at the…

Allexer Namundjebo Rent-A-Drum (Pty) Ltd will pay a N$ 250,000 settlement after the Namibian Competition Commission (NaCC) found the company engaged in anti-competitive conduct in violation of the Competition Act. The case followed a complaint filed by D Ishuna Investments CC in August 2023.  The Commission launched an investigation under Case No.: 2023AUG0006COMP. The findings, published in government gazette No. 8644 on 8 May, revealed that Rent-A-Drum had an exclusive distributorship agreement with Finnish company Molok OY.  This agreement made Rent-A-Drum the only supplier of Molok-branded underground waste systems in Namibia. At the same time, the Swakopmund Municipality’s procurement process…

Justicia Shipena  The Namibia Industrial Development Agency (NIDA)’s promise of jobs has been seen as far-fetched. Recently, NIDA’s chief executive officer, Richwell Lukonga, announced several initiatives aimed at creating 35,000 jobs over the next five years.  The job creation target is outlined in NIDA's first turnaround Integrated Strategic Business Plan for 2025/26 to 2029/30 and its Sustainable Business Model. However, young people believe the promise won’t materialise. Many say they no longer trust anything in the country because of what they’ve experienced in the past. Julius Natangwe, a youth activist, says young Namibians have lost trust in institutions like NIDA…