National News

Justicia Shipena  The Office of the Ombudsman has found irregularities and possible discrimination in the Namibia Revenue Agency’s (NamRA) recruitment process for assistant tax officers.  This finding follows an investigation by its investigation division into complaints of unfair treatment.  The findings are contained in a recently released investigation report by Ombudsman Basilius Dyakugha, dated 6 March 2024. The investigation began after a candidate lodged a complaint alleging discrimination based on ethnicity during NamRA’s recruitment of assistant tax officers.  The complainant said she applied, was shortlisted, wrote the test, passed the interview and was recommended for appointment, but did not receive…

Justicia Shipena Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) director general Paulus Noa has urged investigators to speed up corruption cases and warned staff not to be distracted by social media activists. Addressing the ACC staff in Windhoek on Wednesday, Noa said delays in investigations weaken public trust and affect the institution’s credibility. “Speedy finalisation of corruption investigation is critical. The longer you take, the more the chance of relevant information and evidence disappearing,” he said. He acknowledged that corruption investigations can be complex, especially when complainants are unwilling to provide information. However, he said this should not lead to unnecessary delays. He told…

Justicia Shipena  Small embedded generation projects in Namibia could soon be capped at 2 MW or 5 MW under proposed simplified licence conditions presented during consultations in Windhoek. The Electricity Control Board (ECB) held a stakeholder workshop at the Avani Hotel on Tuesday to discuss new licence conditions and application forms for simplified generation projects. ECB chief executive officer Robert Kahimise said embedded generation is becoming more important in Namibia’s electricity supply industry and requires regulatory clarity and compliance to support sector growth.  He reminded stakeholders that under the Electricity Act of 2007, a licence or exemption is required for…

Justicia Shipena Mining Commissioner Isabella Chirchir says the formulation of the Minerals Bill is at an advanced stage.  Chirchir revealed this on Wednesday during the invest in Namibia session at the Africa Mining Indaba 2026 in Cape Town, South Africa.  “We do have a Minerals Bill in place, which is at an advanced stage, and it will modernise processes without disturbing existing rights,” she said. Six months ago, President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah called for swift action to finalise the bill, modernise the sector and sustain growth. The proposed law adjusts application costs and relaxes exclusivity provisions for reconnaissance and exploration licences. …

Justicia Shipena Namibia has signed a headquarters agreement to host the Secretariat of the Global Water Partnership Organisation (GWPO) in Windhoek. The agreement was signed on Wednesday.  The minister of agriculture, fisheries, water and land reform, Inge Zaamwani, said the signing reflects confidence in Namibia and Africa. “This decision reflects confidence not only in Namibia as a country but also in Africa’s capacity to lead, convene, and deliver on one of the most pressing development challenges of our time: water security,” she said. Zaamwani said Namibia has invested in integrated water resources management, climate adaptation, groundwater development, desalination and water…

Mufaro Nesongano As we have entered the new working year after the festive break, individuals and organisations are reminded that the beginning of the year is one of the most active periods for cybercrime. The start of the year has become one of the most critical months for cybersecurity. While many people associate cyber threats with the busy holiday period in December, the weeks after the holidays are often at even higher risk of cybersecurity threats. During the festive period, many employees travelled with their work laptops, connected to public or home Wi-Fi, and sometimes used work devices for personal…

Allexer Namundjembo  The National Youth Service (NYS) has launched disciplinary action against staff members after an internal investigation found that an individual was allowed into the Namibia Correctional Service (NCS) without meeting the required conditions. The matter came to light after social justice activist Johannes Johannes questioned how Lascow Salufu was admitted to an Instructional Skills Course at Omaruru in 2022 without completing the required civic training. Salufu is employed at NCS. The NYS confirmed that he completed only a short course in supervision and management. “He completed a short training course in supervision and management for the purpose of…

Staff Writer  Bank Windhoek has hosted its first Grade 8 and 9 mathematics teachers’ workshop for 2026 as part of an ongoing programme to improve mathematics teaching in Namibia. The workshop took place from 6 to 8 February 2026 at Rock Lodge outside Okahandja. It was organised in partnership with the Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sports, Arts, and Culture (ALI) and the African Leadership Institute. A total of 39 teachers attended the workshop. They came from the Zambezi, Kavango East, Kavango West, Oshikoto and Otjozondjupa regions. Bank Windhoek’s executive officer of marketing and corporate communication services, Jacquiline Pack, said…

Justicia Shipena President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has called on members of the diplomatic corps to deepen cooperation with Namibia and strengthen bilateral and multilateral partnerships this year. She made the remarks during her New Year’s address to the diplomatic corps at State House on Tuesday. “I encourage you to continue working closely with us to deepen our bilateral and multilateral partnerships, to explore new opportunities for trade and investment, and to further nurture people-to-people relations that bind our nations together in friendship and shared purpose,” Nandi-Ndaitwah said. She said Namibia enters 2026 with a clear foreign policy direction based on respect…

Renthia Kaimbi Ten years ago, Cool Cats Namibia started as a simple Facebook page sharing photos of shelter cats in the hope that someone would adopt them. Founder Barbara Wayrauch said the page began with no office, no staff and no budget. “Many cats found loving forever homes through Cool Cats because suddenly, people could see and fall in love with them online,” Wayrauch told Observer Coastal. “At that time, almost no rescue or adoption organisation in Namibia was using social media. Today most do.” As more people shared posts, cats that had waited months for homes began to be…