National News – Page 136

19 Aug

RP to expropriate unproductive farms dubiously awarded to Swapo cronies

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Erasmus Shalihaxwe Republican Party (RP) President, Henk Mudge has pledged that, if elected as the next president, his administration will expropriate farms currently allocated under the government’s flawed Land Reform Scheme. Mudge stated that he would target farms that are currently allocated to government figures, Swapo elites, and their relatives. He said these farms are underutilised and only used as mere weekend retreats and that these properties will be reclaimed by the state. Mudge made these statements in the party's manifesto, which was released over the weekend in preparation for the upcoming Presidential and National Assembly elections. “Land is a…

19 Aug

Thousands invited to commemorate Heroes Day

info_e12wt4csNational News34th Heroes Day commemoration

Hilarius Hamutenya Fifteen thousand people have been invited to the 34th Heroes Day commemoration that will be held at Omuthiya in the Oshikoto Region on 26 August. The day will be commemorated under the theme "Honouring our Martyrs" (Heroes and Heroines). This was confirmed by Penda yaNdakolo, the Oshikoto regional governor. “The town is more than ready. We have teams to ensure that the event goes smoothly in terms of logistics, safety and security, protocol and entertainment,” he said. YaNdakolo added that 120 former freedom fighters have also confirmed their attendance. He said the national event is open to all…

19 Aug

Paragon Aviation Services: 1 year on

info_e12wt4csNational NewsDesmond Amunyela, Hosea Kutako International Airport

An exclusive interview with Desmond Amunyela, Executive Director, Business Development. Paragon Aviation’s executive director, Desmond Amunyela (DA), shared insights on the company’s first year managing ground handling services at Hosea Kutako International Airport (HKIA), which began on 19 August 2023. In an interview with the Windhoek Observer’s (WO) Hertta-Maria Amutenja, he described the journey as both challenging and successful, highlighting significant improvements in service quality, including on-time performance. Amunyela emphasised Paragon’s commitment to supporting Namibia’s aviation infrastructure, including plans for a technical centre and training facility. WO: Can you tell us a bit about Paragon’s journey and what led it to…

19 Aug

PDM aims to bring Swapo’s votes down to 40%

info_e12wt4csNational NewsMcHenry Venaani, Popular Democratic Movement (PDM)

Stefanus Nashama The Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) wants to bring down the ruling party, Swapo, to less than 40% of the votes in the upcoming presidential and national assembly elections. The PDM’s leader, McHenry Venaani shared this goal at the party's Trinity Congress last week in Windhoek. "In light of these elections, the goal is clear: we must bring the ruling Swapo party's share of the electoral vote under 40 percent," Venaani said. He acknowledged that this is an ambitious target but expressed confidence in the party's ability to achieve it. "We are capable of reaching that target because we…

19 Aug

Selection process of IPC parliamentary candidates commences

info_e12wt4csNational NewsIPC parliamentary candidates

Stefanus Nashama The Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) has begun the process of selecting candidates for seats in the National Assembly next year. The party’s national spokesperson, Immanuel Nashinge, told the Windhoek Observer on Monday that the selection process started over the weekend at the branch level and that the party is now preparing for the selection of candidates at the constituency level. "Yes, we have started with identifying and selecting our candidates from the grassroots level, because we are a party that upholds the principles of democracy, and that is what matters," he said. Nashinge said the process is…

19 Aug

Namibia leads regional push for smarter HIV funding

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Niël Terblanché Representatives from 12 African countries as well as stakeholders from international organisations such as PEPFAR, UNAIDS, and the Global Fund attended the Regional Technical Network (RTN) on Resource Optimization of HIV and Broader Health Resources in Windhoek on Monday. This is the second meeting where stakeholders discuss strategies to enhance the efficiency and sustainability of HIV programs and health systems. Minister of Health and Social Services, Dr Kalumbi Shangula, while opening the meeting stressed the progress made in combating HIV/AIDS over the past decade. “While there have been notable reductions in new infections and AIDS-related deaths, the challenge…

19 Aug

WBCG sounds alarm on Mpox

info_e12wt4csFeatured, National NewsWalvis Bay Corridor Group

Niël Terblanché The Walvis Bay Corridor Group (WBCG) has issued a warning to transport and logistics companies that work with the Southern African Development Community (SADC) about the outbreak of Mpox. The alarm was raised by the WBCG's CEO, Mbahupu Tjivikua, on Monday. The warning comes at a challenging time for the region, with multiple crises such as a severe drought, ongoing conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and the emergence of a more dangerous strain of the Mpox virus. Tjivikua said that the World Health Organisation (WHO) recently declared the ongoing Mpox cases in Africa a…

19 Aug

Erongo Region reviews road infrastructure strategy

info_e12wt4csNational NewsErongo region

Niël Terblanché The Erongo Region held a public participation meeting on Monday to review its Regional Roads Master Plan. The Governor of the Erongo Region, Neville Andre, pointed out during the official opening of the meeting the importance of a robust and efficient road network for the economic and social well-being of the community. He added that the meeting is a vital step in ensuring the continued development and maintenance of the region’s road infrastructure. Andre said that the road network in the Erongo Region plays a fundamental role in supporting key industries such as agriculture, tourism, and mining. “These…

18 Aug

Opposition parties snub Heroes Day commemoration

info_e12wt4csNational NewsAlly Angula, Heroes Day

Hilarious Hamutenya Independent presidential candidate Ally Angula and opposition parties have ditched this year’s Heroes Day commemoration. The event will be held at Omuthiya on 26 August. Angula, who was at Omuthiya busy with her campaign last week, said she and her supporters have no intention of attending the Heroes Day commemoration. She expressed strong criticism regarding the expenditure on ceremonial events amid the country’s economic challenges. “I feel, given the state in which people are, that that money can be better spent elsewhere,” she said. Omuthiya residents also witnessed military aircraft flyover exercises in preparation for the commemoration event.…

18 Aug

Itula’s government to replace regional councillors with traditional leaders

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Erasmus Shalihaxwe Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) president, Panduleni Itula said if his party is elected to govern the country, they will replace regional councillors with traditional authority leaders. He made these comments during one of his recent campaigns in the Ohangwena region. “We will remove the national council and set up the traditional authority, where our traditional authority leaders will set and discuss what the country needs. Traditional leaders will be the ones getting money from the government to divide the resources among the people because our traditional leaders have their representatives through village headmen, and every village headman…