National News

Allexer Namundjembo  The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT) has defended its decision to put down an elephant bull near Onawa village in the Omusati region.  The ministry said the move was necessary to protect human lives after several failed attempts to guide the animal back into Etosha National Park. MEFT spokesperson Ndeshipanda Hamunyela told the Windhoek Observer on Saturday that the elephant had been under observation for several days after it was first spotted in the Otjivarunda area.  It is believed the elephant strayed from Etosha following the recent wildfires that destroyed thousands of hectares of vegetation in…

Allexer Namundjembo The Meat Corporation of Namibia (Meatco) fulfilled its 2025 beef export commitments to Norway. This marked the completion of the country’s 1 200-tonne quota under the European Free Trade Area (EFTA) agreement. The final shipment left last Wednesday, marking the full utilisation of Namibia’s export allocation to one of its most profitable international markets. In a recent statement, Meatco said Norway continues to be one of its most important destinations, contributing over 20% of its annual turnover.  The EFTA agreement between Norway and the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) allows Namibia to export premium-quality beef duty-free. To meet…

Justicia Shipena  Environment, Forestry and Tourism minister Inidelni Daniel says she concerned over Namibians’ reluctance to replant trees despite the country losing thousands of hectares of forest each year to agriculture, mining, urban development, and infrastructure expansion. Daniel said the continued loss of forests poses a serious threat to Namibia’s ecosystems and sustainability.  She said the practice of clearing land without replanting must stop. “The Ministry has a responsibility to act and will begin enforcing a requirement for all individuals or entities that remove trees to replant them,” Daniel said during the 2025 Arbor Day commemoration at Michelle McLean Primary…

Justicia Shipena Botswana has supplied Namibia with over 3.8 million doses of foot and mouth disease (FMD) vaccines worth N$60.7 million to strengthen livestock protection and regional food security.  The vaccines were delivered through the Botswana Vaccine Institute (BVI), which has long supported Namibia's animal health programmes. President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah said the vaccines are vital for safeguarding livestock and sustaining farming communities.  She noted that the first batch under a three-year agreement was delivered in February 2025, describing the partnership as a sign of trust and cooperation between the two countries. “This partnership reflects our shared vision for a region…

Allexer Namundjembo The Students Union of Namibia (SUN) has urged calm among students following the suspension of Namibia University of Science and Technology (Nust) vice chancellor Erold Naomab. Speaking to the Windhoek Observer on Wednesday, SUN spokesperson Johannes Malapi said the suspension has stirred concern among students, but learning and administration will continue as normal. “Let it be unequivocally stated, the institution is an enduring legal entity, not contingent upon the presence or absence of any singular office bearer. The academic and administrative machinery of Nust remains fully operational,” he said. Malapi assured students that all academic activities, including the…

Renthia Kaimbi A member of parliament and chairperson of the parliamentary standing committee on agriculture, environment, and natural resources, Tobie Aupindi, says the ongoing opposition to the Goantagab Mine in the Kunene region undermines government authority and exposes "economic racism" against entrepreneurs. He said the government ministries had issued legitimate licenses for the mining operations, yet legal challenges persist.  “We cannot allow a situation where economic opportunities are weaponised against black people in their own country,” he said. The dispute over the Goantagab Mine is currently before the High Court, where Ultimate Safaris and several conservancies are seeking to stop…

Justicia Shipena Seven years after its introduction, the National Equitable Economic Empowerment Framework (Neeef) remains incomplete, leaving Namibia’s ambition to tackle deep-rooted inequality hanging in the balance.  The framework, which has been under development since 2018 and aims to address the country’s persistent socioeconomic disparities and inequalities rooted in past discriminatory laws, has yet to be finalised. Despite being described last week as “at an advanced stage” by the Law Reform and Development Commission (LRDC), Neeef has been stuck in development for years.  During a meeting with prime minister Elijah Ngurare, the LRDC said the framework is close to completion.…

Justicia Shipena  Hundreds of mothers are still dying during childbirth in Namibia. The latest data shows 139 deaths for every 100 000 live births.  This is almost twice the global target of fewer than 70 by 2030. The figure was revealed at the launch of the national strategy for reproductive, maternal, newborn, adolescent health and nutrition (2025/2026–2029/2030) in Windhoek on Thursday.  Health minister Dr Esperance Luvindao said Namibia has made progress in expanding access to healthcare, but maternal and newborn deaths remain a major problem.  “Namibia’s maternal mortality ratio is estimated to be at 139 per 100 000 live births,…

Justicia Shipena Namibia experienced more than one million cyber threats in the first half of 2025. Information and Communication Technology Minister Emma Theofelus sounded the alarm over the country’s growing exposure to cyber risks, saying the attacks highlight the urgent need to strengthen digital security systems. Presenting a ministerial statement in Parliament on Wednesday, Theofelus said that between January and June 2025, the Namibia Cybersecurity Incident Response Team (Nam-CSIRT), housed at the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (Cran), detected 1 103 784 cyber threats and 1 090 342 vulnerabilities across the country’s digital systems. “These statistics should send an alarm…