National News

Niël Terblanché The Bank of Namibia (BoN) has decided to maintain the repo rate at 7.75 percent, following its bi-monthly Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting on June 17-18. According to Johannes !Gawaxab, the Governor of the Bank of Namibia, this decision aims to support the domestic economy while preserving the peg between the Namibia Dollar and the South African Rand. "The committee's stance reflects a cautious approach to balancing economic growth with inflation control," !Gawaxab said while announcing the decision. He said that Namibia's economy demonstrated significant growth in the first four months of 2024, particularly in the mining, electricity…

Hertta-Maria Amutenja The current voter registration process has elicited mixed reactions across various regions. While some areas report smooth operations, others are experiencing significant delays. Otjozondjupa governor, James Uerikua has noted the slow pace of the voter registration process. "We have noticed that the process is slow. However, registration is ongoing, and we are excited to see many youths come out to register. We are urging more young people to register as voters," said Uerikua. In Grootfontein, the municipality’s acting chief executive officer Indileni Lungameni also described the process as very slow, with long lines and technical glitches being common…

Erasmus Shalihaxwe Minister of Information and Communication Technology Emma Theofelus has urged government offices, ministries, regional councils, local authorities, and public enterprises to exhibit their services with openness and transparency when serving the public. The minister was speaking at the public sector information sharing session at Opuwo in the Kunene region on Wednesday. She said the session is an opportunity to showcase their initiatives, to engage directly with the community, and to listen to their needs and concerns. “I urge you to provide as much information as possible and to interact with the public with an open mind and a…

Hertta-Maria Amutenja Dr Kalumbi Shangula, the Ministry of Health and Social Services launched the Tripartite One Health National Strategy for 2024 - 2028 on Wednesday as a response to the increasing threat of zoonotic diseases. Zoonotic diseases include rabies and food-borne illnesses. These illnesses, Shangula said, impact health, livelihoods, and economies. "The frequent outbreaks of zoonotic diseases and the effects of climate change in Namibia necessitate a coordinated One Health approach," he stated. The initiative is meant to address the interconnected health needs of humans, animals, and the environment. Shangula said Namibia has faced numerous public health challenges in recent…

Niël Terblanché Namibia and Zambia are currently in the advanced stages of negotiations to establish a one-stop border post (OSBP) at the Katima Mulilo border post. This initiative, aimed at enhancing trade and security between the two nations, has been in the works since April 2019 and is now on the brink of finalisation. Key stakeholders, including the Namibia Revenue Agency, are involved in the negotiations, which started on Tuesday and should conclude on Friday. The goal is to streamline border procedures, facilitate smoother cross-border trade, and bolster security measures between the neighbouring countries. The OSBP project is a critical…

Martin Endjala The Khomas Regional Council has dissolved the Community Development Committee (CDC) at Farm Versailles. The committee was elected in 2021 and was meant to serve until 2025. Farm Versailles is a resettlement farm near Dordabis. The Khomas chief regional officer, Clement Mafwilla, said the decision was taken because of the recurrence of long-running governance and leadership issues among the community. “A decision to dissolve the then committee and re-elect a new committee was made in consultation with the residents of Farm Versailles. Consequently, elections for a new committee were held on 08 June 2024,” he said. The new…

Niël Terblanché Anna Shiweda, the Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform, has stressed the significance of developing a Regional Land Use Plan (RLUP) as a crucial instrument for steering regional growth and development. Speaking at the launch of a workshop aimed at initiating the Oshikoto Integrated Regional Land Use Plan (IRLUP), Shiweda emphasized that the new plan would facilitate coordinated and orderly investment in land, thereby minimizing conflicts and potential delays in investment. She said the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform has been tasked with formulating IRLUPs for all fourteen regions. According to Shiweda, the plans…

Stefanus Nashama In support of splitting the Samora Machel constituency into two parts, the residents of Goreangab informal settlement said they are willing to forgo any development that may arise from the creation of a new constituency. This includes moving or relocating to allow the construction of infrastructure like hospitals and schools, constituency offices, police stations, standard marketplaces, roads, sports fields, and many other services. An official from the constituency office held a meeting with the residents at the Handino Hishongwa Community Centre in Goreangab on Saturday. The meeting was set to discuss the demarcation and the name of a…