National News

Justicia Shipena  Namibia and Angola will jointly recover unlawfully acquired assets worth about N$3.3 million. The two governments will share the assets under a newly signed asset-sharing agreement. The agreement was formally signed on Thursday by Namibia’s minister of justice and labour relations, Filemon Wise Immanuel, and Angola’s auditor general, Hélder Fernando Pitta Grós. The recovered assets will be handled under chapter V of the UN Convention Against Corruption.This chapter focuses entirely on asset recovery and helps countries address the damage caused by corruption, while making it clear that officials cannot hide stolen assets anywhere. Namibia signed the convention on…

Justicia Shipena The Namibian delegation to the 30th Conference of Parties (COP30) escaped unharmed after a fire broke out at the conference venue on Thursday afternoon.  Environmental Investment Fund (EIF) spokesperson Romeo Muyunda confirmed to the Windhoek Observer that all Namibian delegates were safely evacuated and accounted for.  “No one from the Namibian team was affected by the fire. We all came out in time and unharmed,” he said.  The climate conference organisers halted all pavilion activities, including Namibia’s, while emergency teams responded.  COP30, which is taking place in Belém, Brazil, enters its final day today.  Muyunda said the Namibian…

Renthia Kaimbi The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has arrested a repeat corruption suspect and a government hydrologist for their roles in an alleged scheme that cost the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform N$387 397. ACC interim spokesperson Marina Matundu confirmed the arrests, saying the commission views the matter as a serious breach of public trust.  She said the case involves clear allegations of fraudulent payments for goods that were never delivered. The suspects, Liam Mbako (40), a hydrologist technician, and Godfried Uiseb (35), owner of MacGodmen Trading CC, were taken into custody on 18 November.  They appeared in…

Allexer Namundjembo Empowering citizens with skills to participate in the digital economy is central to the government’s plan to close the digital divide, minister of information and communication technology Emma Theofelus said on Thursday. Speaking at the high-level ICT stakeholders’ engagement in Eenhana, she said improved digital access must go hand in hand with digital literacy.  “We must empower citizens with the skills needed to thrive in the digital economy,” she said.  She added that connectivity without capability is not progress. Theofelus said the country is entering a new phase of its mission to expand digital inclusion, with rural communities…

Renthia Kaimbi The deputy minister of urban and rural development Evelyn Nawases-Taeyele says government efforts to build affordable homes are being slowed by bureaucratic delays in land delivery.  She said housing projects cannot move at the required pace if government entities block each other.  “It won't make sense when a housing entity of government like National Housing Enterprise (NHE) struggles to acquire land from another government entity such as the local authorities due to affordability,” she said at the handover of 34 new houses in Mariental by NHE on Thursday.  She called the situation “uncalled for” and undermined the public.…

Allexer Namundjembo Laughter, small gowns, and proud parents filled ten early childhood development centres this week, as 231 children graduated on World Children’s Day.  Of the group, 121 were boys and just over 110 were girls. For many families, the day marked a rare milestone for children who come from communities where early education is not always guaranteed. Palms for Life spokesperson Gabriel Tomas said the graduation speaks to what is possible when support reaches children early.  “It is wonderful to witness children from vulnerable communities reach such a milestone,” he said.  He explained that placing kindergartens next to primary…

If you could send one message to the leaders competing for your vote, what would you tell them right now? With only a few days left before the regional and local authority elections, the Windhoek Observer asked young voters what message they want to send to the candidates competing this year. Here is what they had to say. Ndiwohamba Haidula (25) Show us action, not promises. Put people first and just not politics. I am tired of empty talk. Actually work for the people you want votes from. Understand our struggles before asking for our votes. Janet Haufiku (22) Focus…

Renthia Kaimbi The Miss Namibia Organisation says it has begun consulting its legal teams after a surge of tribal, racist, and defamatory attacks targeted at Miss Universe Namibia Johanna Swartbooi.  The organisation's chief executive officer, Umbi Karuaihe-Upi, said the organisation is reviewing all legal options to address the online hate speech.  She emphasised that Namibian law protects Swartbooi and characterised the attacks as tribalist, cyberbullying, and defamatory.  Karuaihe-Upi said Swartbooi remained mentally strong and focused on the competition, supported by her family and the organisation. The Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) also issued a strong statement, calling the attacks unlawful and…

Justicia Shipena  The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has this week revealed that it arrested four people in two separate cases involving subsidy fraud and alleged corruption in a government job interview process. In the first case, the ACC arrested Muleihi Moscow Neo, a 41-year-old senior agricultural technician at the Omamishu Agricultural Office in Eengodi Constituency, along with Panduleni Hamunime, a 47-year-old resident of Okadiva Village. The matter stems from a 2017 government weeding subsidy scheme payment made to the Ndemutalelapo Supporting Group. ACC's interim spokesperson Marina Matundu said Neo created false vouchers to inflate the group’s subsidy from N$7 500 to…