National News

Allexer Namundjembo The Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) has demanded clear progress on the country's natural resource beneficiation programme, saying the government must move beyond policy statements and provide measurable outcomes, defined targets, and evidence of tangible economic impact. PDM member of parliament Diederik Vries questioned the minister in the Presidency, Charles Mubita, in Parliament on Wednesday, seeking clarity on the implementation and effectiveness of the beneficiation strategy. In his motivation, Vries said beneficiation has been repeatedly presented as a basis of Namibia’s economic transformation agenda, but there is still limited clarity on its real-world impact. “Natural resource beneficiation has been…

Eugenia Moche A new generation of innovators is reshaping the country's future through science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). At the centre of this movement is Genius Robotics, the organisation behind the Namibian Robotics Team. Once a non-profit organisation, the company has now evolved into a growing enterprise, but its mission remains to empower youth to innovate, bring change, and excite communities through technology. What began as one young founder's international experience representing Namibia at the First Global Challenge, an international robotics competition, has now grown into a movement that is inspiring learners. Genuis Robotics chief executive officer and founder…

Patience Makwele Tensions at the Keetmanshoop municipality escalated on Wednesday after workers threatened to take their grievances against acting chief executive officer Desiree Boois to urban and rural development minister James Sankwasa if their demands are not addressed. The warning came as employees who were represented by the Namibia Public Workers Union (NAPWU), handed over a petition calling for Boois’ removal and accusing the municipality’s acting administrative head of poor management, intimidation and financial mismanagement. Workers say they have lost confidence in Boois’ leadership, alleging unilateral changes to employment conditions, delayed payments to service providers, favouritism and the misuse of…

Patience Makwele President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah says Namibia can no longer afford to remain a consumer of technologies developed elsewhere, as the government intensifies efforts to position the country as a producer of innovation, scientific knowledge and digital solutions. Speaking at the inauguration of the Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah Science Exhibition Hall and the upgraded Rössing Foundation Ondangwa Digital Technology Hub on Wednesday, the President said science, technology and innovation will play a critical role in driving industrialisation, creating opportunities for young people and transforming the economy. “As Namibians, we cannot afford to be mere consumers of technology developed elsewhere. We must become…

Allexer Namundjembo The Namibia Medicines Regulatory Council (NMRC) has confirmed that Fabu-Paracetamol meets required safety and quality standards following an independent assessment prompted by public concerns. In a public notice dated 20 May 2026, former Registrar of Medicines Fransina Nambahu said the NMRC commissioned independent laboratory testing on samples collected from various health facilities, including Central Medical Stores, to ensure a representative evaluation of the product available on the market. “A comprehensive number of batches were sampled and subjected to analytical testing. The results indicate that all batches complied with the required quality specifications and contained the correct quantities of…

Allexer Namundjembo A petition calling for the removal of ||Khomani Traditional Authority chief Julienne Gawanas has formally been submitted to urban and rural development minister, James Sankwasa in terms of Section 12(2) of the Traditional Authorities Act, Act 25 of 2000. Steering Committee member Shaun Gariseb confirmed that the 29-page petition was delivered on Monday and reflects the wishes of members of the ||Khomani and ǂNūkhoen communities who support the initiative. Gariseb said the community had already removed Gawanas through its traditional processes and is now seeking formal recognition of that decision through legal mechanisms provided under Namibian law. “We…

Patience Makwele  The Namibia Revenue Agency (NamRA) and the National Youth Service (NYS) have signed a three-year agreement aimed at strengthening youth development and preparing graduates for work in key public service and economic sectors. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which was signed on Monday at the NamRA head office in Windhoek, sets out cooperation between the two institutions in training, capacity-building and skills development. At the centre of the agreement is a three-month National Service Training programme for NamRA graduate recruits, which will be facilitated by the NYS. The programme is expected to focus on discipline, work ethics and…

Staff Reporter The Development Bank of Namibia (DBN) has secured a US$1 million grant from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) to strengthen Namibia’s climate finance ecosystem and support investment in climate-resilient and low-carbon development initiatives. The funding was approved under the GCF Readiness and Preparatory Support Programme and follows DBN’s accreditation to the Green Climate Fund in July last year. According to DBN, the grant will support the implementation of a programme titled Strengthening Institutional Capacity and Catalysing Private Sector Climate Investments in Namibia over the 2026-2027 period. The programme is expected to strengthen the bank’s institutional capacity, systems and…