National News

1929: Born in Ongandjera, Namibia 1935 left school at age 16 to become a railway dining-car steward.  1950s: Helped found the Ovamboland People's Organization, the precursor to the South-West African People's Organization (SWAPO) 1959: Founded SWAPO and became its president 1960: He went into exile in 1960 and was named president of SWAPO after it was founded on April 19 of that year. 1966: After several years of fruitlessly petitioning the United Nations to compel South Africa to release control of South West Africa, commanded the PLAN to on an armed struggle in 1966.  1973: The UN General Assembly recognized…

Niël Terblanché Namibia has committed to deepening its trade relations with Nigeria, focusing on niche markets and products that offer mutual benefits. This intent was reaffirmed by Ambassador Penda Naanda, Executive Director of the Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation, during the opening of the Senior Officials Meeting of the Fifth Session of the Namibia-Nigeria Joint Permanent Commission of Cooperation (JPCC) in Windhoek last week. “This Fifth Session of the JPCC is of great significance, as this is the first time in 14 years that Namibia and Nigeria are hosting the JPCC. The last session was held in 2010—an injustice…

Niël Terblanché A newly established catering company SolFood is taking its business beyond the kitchen by integrating social responsibility into its core operations to address food insecurity in Walvis Bay. During a courtesy visit last week, the founder of SolFood, Anya Kovaleva, met with Walvis Bay mayor Trevino Forbes to discuss the company’s ongoing efforts to provide nutritious meals to children in need. Kovaleva shared the origins of the initiative, explaining how a simple act of giving away surplus food evolved into a full-fledged project to support the community. “We gave the surplus of our catered food away to children…

Niël Terblanché Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila has called on Executive Directors (EDs) in the public service to step up their efforts in implementing government priorities for the upcoming financial year. During a meeting held in Windhoek on Friday with all EDs, the Prime Minister outlined key focus areas, stressing accountability, timely execution of Cabinet decisions, and effective resource management. Kuugongelwa-Amadhila also reiterated the importance of timely evaluation and implementation of Cabinet decisions, highlighting the need for measurable outcomes and value for money. "It is important that Cabinet decisions are implemented timely and that their impacts are evaluated to ensure that…

 Niël Terblanché The country is grappling with a significant challenge where young people face increasing vulnerability to human trafficking. Desperation for employment opportunities, domestically and abroad, often leads individuals into precarious situations. Traffickers exploit this desperation, luring victims with promises of legitimate work, only to subject them to forced labour, sexual exploitation, or other forms of abuse. The recently released 2023 Labour Force Survey compiled by the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA) revealed an unemployment rate of 36.9%, the highest within the Southern African Development Community (SADC). This statistic translates to approximately 320 450  people without employment, with young people disproportionately…

Hertta-Maria Amutenja  Employees of Project Hope Namibia, Society for Family Health (SFH), TCE, and other non-governmental organisations (NGOs) that receive funding from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) have been left in uncertainty following the implementation of a 90-day Stop Work Order issued. Despite the immediate order to cease operations, workers at these NGOs are still required to report for duty without performing any tasks. Speaking on condition of anonymity, a Project Hope employee claimed that a WhatsApp message informed workers of the directive. “They only communicated with us through WhatsApp, saying we must adhere to the order that…

Stefanus Nashama  The City Police confirmed that social activist Michael Amushelelo and a group of four men attempted to forcefully close down a shop at the B1 Service Station in Windhoek. City Police spokesperson Marcelline Murapo told the Windhoek Observer on Thursday that the incident occurred on Wednesday morning, leading to a commotion between the group and City Police officials. “On 5 February, a commotion unfolded at the B1 Service Station on Wednesday morning when activist Michael Amushelelo and a group of four men attempted to forcefully close down the shop at B1 Service Station,” Murapo stated. She explained that…

Niël Terblanché The Namibian Ports Authority (Namport) and the University of Namibia (UNAM) have entered into a three-year agreement valued at N$3.7 million to safeguard and preserve one of Namibia's most vital ecosystems. The agreement signed earlier this week forms a partnership which aims to conduct a comprehensive study on the health and biodiversity of the Walvis Bay Lagoon. The collaboration between Namport and UNAM is not new; the two entities previously had a Memorandum of Understanding from 2016 to 2021. The renewal of this agreement stresses a continued commitment to environmental stewardship. Namport's Chief Executive, Andrew Kanime, during the…

Allexer Namundjebo Community members of Omupembe Village in the Okongo Constituency received assistance from the Ohangwena Regional Council to complete a kindergarten. Okongo Regional Councillor, Lebeus Shipindo explained that after taking office, he visited local traditional leaders and residents to assess their needs. "My office conducted a feasibility study to determine what each village needs. I was informed that water and schools were their top priorities," he said. During his visit to Omupembe Village, he learnt that 50 children were not attending school due to the lack of a kindergarten. "The community was trying to establish one, and we found…

Niël Terblanché The drought in Namibia has led to widespread food insecurity, environmental degradation, health threats, and rising unemployment, affecting more than half of the country’s people. According to the UN Resident Coordinator in Namibia, Hopolang Phororo, recognising the acute vulnerability of certain groups, particularly nursing mothers, women, and children, the United Nations in Namibia has mobilised resources through the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to address the crisis. "Even as women and girls disproportionately feel the impact of droughts, we have an opportunity to leverage their leadership and boost drought resilience in communities," she said. In the Mupuni…