National News

Allexer Namundjembo The Namibia Post Limited (Nampost) will deploy additional mobile payment teams at selected post offices to ease congestion during the January social grant payment period. In a joint statement issued on Wednesday, Nampost and the Ministry of Finance said the move follows long queues at several post offices.  The congestion was linked to beneficiaries accessing payments outside the approved in-branch payment schedule.  The statement said more than 37 000 social grant recipients were paid on the first day of the cycle, compared to an expected 28 000, placing pressure on in-branch services and leading to overcrowding at several…

Allexer Namundjembo States must follow diplomatic procedures to avoid misunderstandings, international relations analyst Marius Kudumo told the Windhoek Observer on Monday.  This comes amid reports of a disagreement between Ghana and Namibia over the accreditation of a head of mission. Kudumo said diplomacy requires strict adherence to established rules and clear communication between states.  “Diplomacy is built on consent and trust. If the receiving state has not formally agreed to an appointment, announcing it publicly can create unnecessary tension,” Kudumo said.  Kudumo said the situation underlines the need for governments to be meticulous in interstate relations.  He explained that the…

Justicia Shipena The deputy minister of education, Dino Ballotti, has assured parents that no learner will be left without a school.  On Monday schools across the country opened for the 2026 academic year.  The start of the school year was marked with an outcry of school placements by parents.  Ballotti gave the assurance on Monday while addressing parents at Otjomuise Primary School, where placement pressures remain a concern.  He said the ministry is aware of challenges in areas where schools are far apart and acknowledged that Otjomuise Primary School is the closest option for many families.  Ballotti stated that the…

Justicia Shipena  Minister of Industries, Mines and Energy Modestus Amutse says securing binding off-take agreements remains the biggest hurdle to turning Namibia’s green hydrogen ambitions into bankable projects.  Amutse was speaking at a ministerial roundtable on green industrialisation held on the sidelines of the International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena) Assembly in Abu Dhabi on Sunday. He said large-scale green hydrogen and derivative projects require long-term, binding off-take agreements to secure predictable revenues and justify multi-billion-dollar investments, especially for first-of-a-kind developments. Under the sixth National Development Plan (NDP6), the green hydrogen economy is expected to support up to 30 000 jobs…

Renthia Kaimbi The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform has denied claims that it secretly reduced fishing quotas.  The ministry said the process was transparent and guided by science. In a press release issued yesterday, the ministry said the management of Namibia’s horse mackerel stock follows clear legal procedures and relies on scientific advice. The clarification follows the setting of the Total Allowable Catch (TAC) for the 2026 horse mackerel season. The ministry confirmed that the Cabinet approved a TAC of 197 000 metric tonnes, a 5% reduction from the 208 000 metric tonnes allowed in 2025. The…

Renthia Kaimbi The removal of a learner from a public school or hostel is not a decision a principal or school board can make on their own, says Erastus Haitengela, executive director of the Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sports, Arts and Culture. Haitengela spoke as the Windhoek Observer received complaints from parents who say they were caught off guard by suspensions and expulsions, leaving them to face the cost of finding new schools and uniforms. He explained that the suspension and expulsion of learners are governed by strict legal procedures that require several levels of oversight and written communication…

Allexer Namundjembo Negumbo Senior Secondary School, located about 50 kilometres from Oshakati, has asked 38 students to bring mattresses to school because of severe overcrowding at its hostel. The situation has raised concerns about learner welfare and the learning environment. The school last year appealed to the Omusati regional education directorate to address the overcrowding.  In 2025, the hostel accommodated 589 learners, which is 141 more than its approved capacity of 448 beds. Documents seen by the Windhoek Observer show that the school suggested postponing planned classroom construction to prioritise fixing the hostel shortage.  Letters addressed to the Elim Circuit…

Justicia Shipena  The Affirmative Repositioning (AR) movement has called on the government to use the new Pension-Backed Home Loan Scheme (PBHLS) as a starting point for wider housing reform that also includes landless and low-income communities. The call follows the announcement by the Government Institutions Pension Fund (GIPF) on Friday that the PBHLS begins today.  The scheme allows government employees to use part of their pension savings to buy, build or renovate homes. While welcoming the move, AR said the scheme mainly benefits formally employed public servants and does not address the housing needs of most Namibians living in informal…