Main

ECN accused of excluding LGBTQI+ community

ECN accused of excluding LGBTQI+ community

Hertta-Maria Amutenja The Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) is facing criticism for its lack of gender sensitivity in the voter registration process. The current system only provides options for males and females, excluding non-binary and transgender individuals. This has raised concerns among activists and members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, intersex, and other (LGBTQI+) communities. Transgender woman, Deyonce !Naris said she has been vocal about the issue and has been emphasising the battle for recognition beyond the binary gender options. “It’s really problematic that ECN is not accommodating inclusivity. This whole male and female thing I have been…
Read More
AR’s transition has the potential to alter political landscape

AR’s transition has the potential to alter political landscape

Political scientists and analysts say the transition of Affirmative Repositioning (AR) from a social justice movement to a fully-fledged political party has the potential to alter the dynamics of the political landscape. Ndumba Kamwanyah, a political analyst, says the AR needs to mature beyond its previous tactics. "The maturity of AR means moving past the issues of insult and dependence on cult personality. They must be prepared to speak to all Namibians, not just young people. The young people alone will not make them win the elections," Kamwanya asserts. He stresses that AR needs to learn from its past mistakes,…
Read More
Muharukua can’t be taken seriously – analyst

Muharukua can’t be taken seriously – analyst

Erasmus Shalihaxwe A political science lecturer at the University of Namibia, Erika Thomas has described Vipuakuje Muharukua’s switch to Swapo as an opportunistic move that shouldn't be taken seriously. Muharukua, who announced his defection from the Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) to SWAPO on Tuesday, was criticised for his inconsistency and lack of loyalty. “These people are opportunists. He thinks the PDM boat is sinking, and he does not want to sink with it, so he chose to jump to stay relevant in the political sphere,” said Thomas. After many years of criticising Swapo for corruption and maladministration in Parliament, Thomas…
Read More
Increased investment needed in Namibia’s agricultural sector

Increased investment needed in Namibia’s agricultural sector

Niël Terblanché Despite its critical role in the economy and the potential for significant growth, Namibia's agricultural sector remains underfunded, receiving less than five percent of the national budget. Immanuel Kadhila, the Managing Director of Eos Capital, has called for increased investment in agriculture to unlock its full potential and reduce the country's dependency on imported food products. Speaking at a recent event, Kadhila highlighted the sector's importance, noting that it employs 25 percent of Namibia's workforce and has been growing at an impressive rate of ten percent annually since 2010. He said that with adequate support, the agricultural sector…
Read More
President Mbumba calls for citizen-centric public service

President Mbumba calls for citizen-centric public service

Niël Terblanché President Nangolo Mbumba has urged Namibian public servants to prioritise citizens in their duties and tailor public services to meet the needs of the people during the commemoration of Africa Public Service Day. On Sunday, the African continent celebrated Africa Public Service Day to highlight the role that public servants play in nation-building and governance. Mbumba's message resonated with the values of dedication, professionalism, and continuous improvement that are essential for effective public service delivery. “As Namibian public servants, you can honour this day by upholding the values and professionalism of the public service we provide to our…
Read More
Dippenaar convicted on six counts of murder

Dippenaar convicted on six counts of murder

Niël Terblanché “I have been waiting for a long time. Justice was served.” These were the words of Antonia Joschko on the steps of the Swakopmund Magistrate’s Court after Jandre Dippenaar was found guilty of, amongst others, six counts of murder. Besides Dippenaar, she is the only other survivor of a horrific car crash between a Ford Ranger and a Toyota FJ Cruiser near Henties Bay on 29 December 2014. The crash claimed the lives of her father, mother and sister, along with the lives of three young Namibians. The people who died in the horrific crash were German nationals…
Read More
NamPower fears potential electricity shortage

NamPower fears potential electricity shortage

Hertta-Maria Amutenja NamPower is monitoring a potential energy crisis following Zambia’s decision to recall 100 megawatts (MW) of electricity from the export market, which has raised concerns about Namibia's energy supply. Cornelius Mweetwa, Zambia's minister for information and media, announced this week that Zesco, the country's state-owned power utility, will recall at least 100 MW of electricity to meet local utilisation needs. Mweetwa emphasised that Zambia is currently contractually bound to supply the export market but is actively pursuing a smooth exit plan from these agreements. Namibia currently imports 120 MW of electricity from Zambia following a reduction in exports…
Read More
Namibian ethnic groups deserve a fair deal from Germany

Namibian ethnic groups deserve a fair deal from Germany

BY CAJ News Germany’s behaviour is not changing as decades and centuries pass. In the past, they used to act with fire and sword, taking land, natural wealth and freedom by force. Now they do the same under the guise of rhetoric about the environment and the common good. In 1904–1908, Germany almost completely exterminated two ethnic groups – the Herero and the Nama – simply because the latter refused to become slaves of the newly-created German Reich. In the early 20th century, people of the African continent were confined to concentration camps and subjected to other inhumane inventions of…
Read More
Telecom mum over data service interruption

Telecom mum over data service interruption

Ester Mbathera Over the past few weeks, Telecom has been mum about the persistent data services that affected clients. On Monday, the company announced a 5-year transformative partnership with Huawei Technologies Namibia. According to a media statement, the collaboration marks a significant step forward in revolutionising Telecom Namibia's mobile network capabilities and coverage across the country. “As part of the company’s five-year Integrated Strategic Business Plan (ISBP) 2027, Telecom Namibia intends to invest in the TN Mobile network modernization and coverage expansion. This will include the rolling out of new and upgrading existing mobile base stations across the country,” reads…
Read More
More than 60 people defrauded in land scam

More than 60 people defrauded in land scam

Niël Terblanche Over 60 people in Walvis Bay, Windhoek, Ongwediva, and Tsumeb fell victim to a land sale scam. The fraudulent scheme, which promised plots of land through a dubious housing project, has left many out of pocket and without any promised property. According to the police, the scam has been operational since 2022 and has reportedly amassed nearly N$2 million from unsuspecting victims. The fraudulent company behind the scheme demanded a N$50 000 deposit from each victim, with some individuals paying a minimum of N$40 000. A 23-year-old man, identified as the managing director of the bogus housing project,…
Read More