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Justicia Shipena Prime minister Elijah Ngurare will have the final say on who can serve a third term on state-owned enterprises boards (SOEs) under the newly proposed Public Enterprises Governance Amendment Bill. Ngurare tabled the bill in Parliament on Wednesday. It seeks to realign powers and responsibilities in the governance of state-owned entities and amend the Public Enterprises Governance Act of 2019 (PEGA).  The amendment gives the prime minister sweeping powers previously held by the ministers of public enterprises and finance. Under the new law, board members will serve a three-year term, renewable once.  A third term will only be…

 Justicia Shipena The Namibia University of Science and Technology (Nust) has appointed an external firm to carry out a forensic investigation into allegations of mismanagement by its vice chancellor, Erold Naomab — allegations the university had previously denied existed. Nust Interim Council chairperson Leake Hangala said on Wednesday the decision was made to ensure an independent and transparent process following claims implicating the university’s top leadership. “The council has resolved to initiate a forensic investigation to independently and impartially examine the allegations. This step underscores our commitment to accountability, ethical leadership, and good governance,” Hangala said. The move comes after…

Renthia Kaimbi Ultimate Safaris managing director Tristan Cowley has filed an urgent court interdict to halt mining and blasting activities at Goantagab.  He says the operations threaten a planned N$100 million luxury lodge and the survival of black rhinos in the area. In his sworn affidavit dated 29 September 2025, Cowley told the High Court that the mining must be halted to protect a tourism investment that depends on international conservation funding.  The lodge project, named Doros Plains, is tied to a repayable loan from the Africa Conservation and Communities Tourism Trust (ACCT) Fund, supported by the Nature Conservancy and…

Justicia Shipena Prime minister Elijah Ngurare says former Meat Corporation of Namibia (Meatco) chief executive officer Mwilima Mushokabanji should be commended for his leadership at Meatco.  Ngurare said Mushokabanji led Meatco under difficult circumstances. Ngurare recently told Parliament that it would be an oversimplification to blame Meatco’s financial and structural challenges on one individual.  He said the company’s problems stem from long-standing inefficiencies that existed before Mushokabanji’s tenure. “The difficulties encountered by Meatco are rooted in longstanding structural and operational inefficiencies that predate Mr Mushokabanji’s tenure. Notably, it was during his tenure that many of these contractual anomalies and unsustainable…

Renthia Kaimbi Namibia faces a diplomatic test as the death sentence imposed on former Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) president Joseph Kabila draws questions about justice and political stability. International relations analyst Marius Kudumo said the focus will be on how Namibia manages the potential implications of the case diplomatically.  He noted that, while a major diplomatic fallout is unlikely, Namibia’s response will reflect its commitment to the Southern African Development Community (SADC) values of rule of law and human rights. The Congolese military tribunal last week sentenced Kabila to death in absentia on charges of war crimes and treason. …

Justicia Shipena and Shelleygan Petersen The Namibia Student Financial Assistance Fund (NSFAF) says it was unaware that personal information of more than 7 000 students had surfaced publicly. The Windhoek Observer obtained a document containing names, surnames, NSFAF identity numbers, Namibian IDs, mobile numbers, email addresses, academic details, country and institution of study, student numbers, loan and grant information, as well as non-tuition fees. When approached on Tuesday, acting NSFAF chief executive officer Kennedy Kandume denied any data leak or hack.  “I am not aware of such,” he said. After being shown the document, Kandume denied that the information came…

 Renthia Kaimbi Former head of the Namibia Green Hydrogen Programme (NGH2P), James Mnyupe, has told the government that he is open to working with it whenever needed. The remarks were made in his resignation letter to deputy prime minister Natangue Ithete, seen by the Windhoek Observer. Mnyupe said he has stepped down as head of the programme, effective on 30 September 2025. However, a press statement released on Thursday morning by NGH2P stated that his resignation will take effect on 1 November 2025. “I remain at your disposal to assist the Namibian government in advancing its developmental agenda in any…

Allexer Namundjembo The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT) says veterinarians are investigating the cause of death of an elephant recently found in Etosha National Park.  The ministry confirmed that the elephant was discovered during monitoring operations following wildfires that have destroyed more than 775 163 hectares inside the park since 22 September.  An additional 171 098 hectares of grazing land and communal areas outside the park have also burnt. Farmers from Omutambo-gomawe near the park said they suspected livestock loss. “An elephant was recently spotted, and veterinarians are still determining the cause of its death,” said the ministry's…

Justicia Shipena The Alte Feste Museum restoration project in Windhoek was hit by a setback after the U.S. Ambassador’s Cultural Preservation Fund withdrew its grant.  The withdrawal left a funding shortfall for the revival of the country's oldest building as a cultural hub for remembrance, arts, and heritage. In April last year, then U.S. ambassador to Namibia Randy Berry announced a grant of US$250,000 (about N$4.75 million) through the Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation.  The grant was awarded to the Namibia Craft Centre to support the renovation of Alte Feste, a recognised heritage site under the custodianship of the Ministry…

Justicia Shipena Five of the six people accused in the N$480 million  National Petroleum Corporation of Namibia (Namcor) corruption and fraud case lied during their bail testimonies, magistrate Linus Samunzala said.  On Friday, Samunzala said this was one of the reasons he denied bail to the six accused in the N$480 million case.  He ruled that the evidence of all but one applicant was riddled with contradictions and falsehoods. “It is apparent from the evidence of the applicants, with the exception of the sixth applicant, that they contradicted themselves in material respects, both in their evidence-in-chief and cross-examination, as well…