National News

Patience Makwele President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah says Namibia’s deepening socio-economic challenges cannot be resolved by the government alone, warning that unemployment, poverty and inequality require collective action from citizens, businesses and communities. Speaking at the launch of the book, ‘Building Namibia’s Future: President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah’s Roadmap to Unity, Prosperity and Transformation’ in Windhoek on Saturday, the Head of State called on Namibians to become active participants in nation-building and development. “Namibia’s future will not be constructed by the government alone. It will require the collective efforts of all citizens. Nation-building demands active participation from people who believe in their country’s future,”…

Renthia Kaimbi A coalition of small miners and community members in Uis has formally petitioned the ministry of industries, mines and energy to remove three directors from the board of the Small Miners of Uis (SMU), alleging that the three women have held their positions since approximately 2010 without meaningful mandate renewal, financial transparency, or proper accountability to the mining communities they were meant to serve. The petition names Helena Itamba, Aune Andreas, and Anna Daniels as the directors whose continued tenure, according to the signatories, has blocked governance reform and left small miners without representation or support. The petitioners…

Allexer Namundjembo  Community activists say the government must repair collapsing water and sewer networks in underserved neighbourhoods before rolling out prepaid meters. The call comes after the minister of urban and rural development, James Sankwasa told Parliament last week that the ministry conducted two assessments of municipal infrastructure and finances between 2021 and 2023. Responding to questions by Dawid Eighub of the Landless People’s Movement, Sankwasa said the first assessment was done during the 2021/2022 financial year, while a second review ran from July to August 2023 in collaboration with the ministries of agriculture, water and land reform; industries, mines…

Patience Makwele The ministry of home Affairs, immigration, safety and security has proposed an overhaul of Namibia’s immigration framework, with plans to introduce a digital-first migration system designed to speed up services, improve border management and facilitate investment and skills attraction. Speaking at the official closing of the national consultations on the Migration Bill in Windhoek last week, line minister Lucia Iipumbu said Namibia can no longer rely on outdated and fragmented migration systems in an increasingly technology-driven world. “Namibia cannot continue to rely on outdated, fragmented and largely manual systems in an era where migration management, border security, investment…

Allexer Namundjembo  Convicted Namibians serving prison sentences in other Southern African countries may soon be transferred home to complete their jail terms, following the gazetting of an amended SADC protocol on prisoner transfers. The amendment, published in Government Notice no. 177 of 2026 and seen by the Windhoek Observer, updates Namibia's ratification of the SADC Protocol on Inter-State Transfer of Sentenced Offenders. It was signed by home affairs minister Lucia Iipumbu on 29 January and appeared in the Government Gazette of 5 June 2026. The notice states that, under subsection 20(3) of the Transfer of Convicted Offenders Act of 2005,…

Allexer Namundjembo Social justice activist Michael Amushelelo has filed an urgent application in the High Court seeking the immediate removal of speed humps installed on the B1 Western Bypass, arguing they are unlawful and pose a public hazard. The matter is set to be heard before the High Court today, according to a Notice of Motion dated 11 June 2026 and seen by the Windhoek Observer. Amushelelo is expected to appear in person. The case lists the minister of works and transport as the first respondent, while the Roads Authority (RA) and Attorney-General are listed as the second and third…

Renthia Kaimbi Nearly two years after a technical committee reached an agreement, the formalisation of the long-disputed Orange River border between Namibia and South Africa remains unresolved, with the matter still looming over bilateral relations. The dispute, which has been ongoing since Namibia’s independence in 1990, boils down to a fundamental disagreement over where the international boundary lies along the Orange River, spanning roughly 600 kilometers of the shared border. Pretoria’s claim relied on the colonial 1890 Helgoland-Zanzibar Treaty between Great Britain and Imperial Germany, which demarcated the boundary along the high-water mark of the northern bank of the river.…

Patience Makwele  The United States Department of State says it has dismantled multiple birth tourism networks operating across Africa and Europe, in a global crackdown that has led to the revocation of hundreds of visas. The action targets foreign nationals accused of abusing the U.S. immigration system by travelling on visitor visas with the primary aim of giving birth in the United States to secure citizenship for their children. According to the State Department, the operations form part of broader efforts to tighten visa scrutiny worldwide and curb fraudulent use of U.S. travel documentation. “Under President Trump, the State Department…