National News – Page 205 – Windhoek Observer

08 Oct

White rhinos sold to US buyers amid public outcry over wildlife ownership

National NewsBush Camp, Kifaru Luxury Lodge, Romeo Muyunda

Ester Mbathera Forty-two white rhinos purchased from Kifaru Luxury Lodge and Bush Camp near Outjo departed from Namibia on Tuesday afternoon aboard a Boeing 747. The rhinos will be airlifted from Hosea Kutako International Airport to Texas, USA. The export of the rhinos comes barely two weeks after 63 giraffes and an unknown number of camels were also sold to foreign nationals. The rhinos were sold by Jaco Muller from Kifaru Luxury Lodge and Bush Camp, who confirmed the sale to Kosmos 94.1 News. “The animals were bought from me by a wildlife trader who had an American agent, and…

08 Oct

ECN faces harsh criticism over ballot paper tender

National NewsBen Mulongeni

Erasmus Shalihaxwe Former Swapo think tank member and political analyst Ben Mulongeni has strongly criticised the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN), describing it as an "incompetent body led by incompetent people." “Judging from the way they de-registered those two political parties without enough ground and lost the case, and now not having ballot papers ready a few weeks before special elections, the only conclusion one can make about ECN is incompetence,” said Mulongeni. His remarks come in light of the ECN's failure to secure a company to print and deliver ballot papers just weeks before the upcoming special elections. “ECN…

08 Oct

Spread of misinformation about Pact for the Future condemned

National NewsPact for the Future, Republican Party

Niël Terblanché The Namibian government has issued a stern rebuke of allegations made by Republican Party President Henk Mudge regarding the recent adoption of the Pact for the Future at the Summit of the Future during the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The assertions, which Mudge claims call into question the sovereignty of Namibia, have been labelled as false by the Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation. According to Penda Naanda, the executive director of the ministry, the Pact for the Future covers a broad range of global issues, including sustainable development, peace and security, climate change, digital…

08 Oct

ACC advocates for strengthened governance

National NewsAnti-Corruption Commission

Niël Terblanché Namibians must remain resilient and dedicated to the principles of good governance and rededicate themselves to the fight against corruption and at the same time promote transparency, accountability, and integrity. The Director-General of the Anti-Corruption Commission, Paulus Noa made this call during the official start of a regional forum held with key stakeholders of the Omusati region on Tuesday. He reaffirmed Namibia’s commitment to fighting corruption through the implementation of the National Anti-Corruption Strategy and Action Plan (NACSAP) 2021-2025. Noa said that the forum is a critical step toward promoting good governance and ensuring accountability in all sectors…

08 Oct

Mbumba pushes for climate action and genocide reparation talks in Germany

National NewsHamburg Sustainability Conference, Olaf Scholz

Niël Terblanché President Nangolo Mbumba called for the reform of the global financial architecture to better serve the interests of the Global South while participating in the Hamburg Sustainability Conference. At the conference, Mbumba and German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz held high-level bilateral talks where both reaffirmed the deepening relationship between the two nations. The discussions between the two heads of state covered a broad range of topics central to both Namibia's domestic agenda and global efforts to address critical issues, including Namibia-Germany relations, green hydrogen development, and the ongoing drought in Namibia. Namibia's devastating drought was another key topic. Mbumba…

07 Oct

Plan to strengthen healthcare system refined

National NewsMinisterial National Health and Social Welfare Conference, Universal Health Coverage

Niël Terblanché The minister of health and social services, Dr Kalumbi Shangula, laid out the government’s strategic roadmap for reinforcing the country’s healthcare and social services infrastructure at the Ministerial National Health and Social Welfare Conference on Monday. The week-long conference, held in Windhoek, seeks to assess the state of healthcare delivery and social services while making recommendations for improvement.While officially opening the conference, Shangula described the conference as a platform for "unpacking the work that we do as a Ministry" and an opportunity to reflect on past successes and failures in order to craft actionable strategies moving forward. He…

07 Oct

Shangula warns of critical shortages of professionals in hospitals

National NewsDr Kalumbi Shangula, Medium Expenditure Frameworks

Hertta-Maria Amutenja Namibia’s health sector is grappling with a critical shortage of healthcare professionals, despite the government's efforts to fill vacant positions. This was raised by the Minister of Health and Social Services, Dr Kalumbi Shangula, during his address at the National Health and Social Services Conference this week. “When I visit hospitals, the main concern is the shortage of critical professionals. Although most vacant posts are filled, the need for extra manpower remains,” he said. Shangula called for urgent measures to resolve the staff shortage issues, which he said are affecting the delivery of essential services in hospitals across…

07 Oct

ECN cancels ballot paper printing tender after backlash from political parties

National NewsOpen International Bidding (OIB), Peter Shaama

Erasmus Shalihaxwe The Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) has cancelled the Open International Bidding (OIB) process for designing, printing, supplying and delivering ballot papers for next month’s Presidential and National Assembly elections. Peter Shaama, the Chief Electoral and Referendum Officer of the ECN, announced on Monday that the commission met with authorised political representatives and came to the decision to cancel the tender. This came after various political parties slammed ECN for initiating the process at the last minute. The ECN wanted to print the ballot papers through an emergency procurement process due to limited time and to avoid going…

07 Oct

Phalaphala accused wants to bring another bail application

National NewsImanuwela David, Phalaphala Game Farm

Ester Mbathera Imanuwela David, the only accused behind bars in the Phalaphala Game Farm housebreaking case in South Africa, is attempting to apply for bail again. His lawyer, Keona Matlala, told the Modimolle Regional Court in Limpopo on Tuesday that his client needs to prepare for the case while free on bail. “Looking at the amount of documents in the docket for our preparations, we need a client that is outside. Basically, we need to apply for bail so that he can be available for consultation anytime. The other thing is with him in prison the financial issue is the…

07 Oct

Namibian students qualified to work in oil and gas industry

National NewsOffshore Marine Training Institute of Namibia (OMITC)

Ester Mbathera Sixteen students completed courses in basic rigging, firewatching, and gas testing for the offshore oil and gas industry at the Offshore Marine Training Institute of Namibia (OMITC) at Walvis Bay. On Monday, the Director of OMITC Namibia, Absalom Fillipus, told the Windhoek Observer that the courses are designed to equip students with the necessary skills and knowledge to work in the offshore oil and gas industry, including roles at sea. “It means investing in the future of Namibia, enhancing both personal and professional growth for local citizens. As more Namibians become skilled in essential areas like rigging, firewatching,…