National News

Erasmus Shalihaxwe UNAM is currently reviewing its policies and procedures for students wishing to engage in political activism on campus. Simon Namesho, the university's spokesperson, said this last week in response to inquiries about whether the institution has modified its policies on political activism at the various campuses. The Student Representative Council at the institute’s Oshakati Campus invited students to join any social clubs of their choice, including the Swapo Party Youth League. “The university has not changed its position. The directive remains a temporary measure to allow the university to review its relevant policies and procedures. This review aims…

Martin Endjala Freelance journalist Frans Koolike, who announced that he aims to stand as an independent candidate for President in the November elections, has vowed to revolutionise and transform Namibia. Koolike announced his campaign as an independent candidate last week. “I am standing to redefine the parameters of political leadership and transform the livelihoods of our people," he said. He joins the likes of Ally Angula and social activist Rosa Namises. Koolike is also a leadership consultant. He said he decided to run for president because the Swapo government became embattled and engulfed in a series of corruption allegations. He…

Ester Mbathera. Discovery Airlines CEO, Bern Bauer expressed confidence in the ground handling services provided by Paragon Aviation Services.Discovery Airlines, a Lufthansa Group leisure airline, is one of the airlines that put an embargo on cargo at Hosea Kutako International Airport when the High Court ruled that Menzies Aviation should cease operations at the airport last year.At the time, the airline, which has been operating flights between Frankfurt and Namibia since 2022, rerouted its flights to Johannesburg.One of the reasons for this was that Paragon Aviation did not have the ACC3/RA3 certification necessary for dealing with European-bound exports."Paragon is our…

Martin Endjala The Hardap regional crime investigations coordinator, Deputy Commissioner Eric Clay, has confirmed that the police arrested a female security guard in connection with a 20-litre diesel theft at Aranos town council. He said that Daleen Kooper (28) was arrested on 13 June and that she appeared in court on 14 June. The court denied her bail and postponed the case until 15 July for additional investigations. Last month, the Windhoek Observer reported that 20 litres of diesel were stolen from a truck at the Aranos Town Council workshop last week. The case of theft was lodged by the…

Niël Terblanché Members of the Namibian Police in Swakopmund were called to a scene at Mile 11 after passersby discovered a body washed up on the beach. According to Chief Inspector Ilenia Shapumba, the head of the Community Affairs Sub Division in the Erongo Region, the body was identified as that of 37-year-old Dennis Gamaseb, who was reportedly missing on Saturday 8 June. Shapumba said that it was reported that on the same day, the victim, after requesting the children to sing a gospel song that he recently composed for him, left home and was later seen jumping from the…

Stefanus Nashama The Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA) has recorded an economic expansion of N$5.3 billion during the first quarter of the gross domestic product this year. Alex Shimuafeni, the statistician-general of the NSA, made this announcement in Windhoek on Thursday. “In nominal terms, the domestic economy was estimated at N$59.1 billion during the first quarter of 2024, an expansion of N$5.3 billion from the corresponding quarter of 2023, which was N$53.9 billion,” he said. The domestic economy continued to progress positively, with a growth of 4.7 percent in the first quarter of 2024, compared to 5.3 percent in the first…

Stefanus Nashama Member of Parliament, Inna Hengari has proposed a motion for Namibia to boost local media and music content. Speaking in the National Assembly on Wednesday, Hengari expressed that the underutilization of local content deprives Namibia of opportunities for job creation within the creative industry. “The current data reveals that a staggering 80 percent of the music played on local radio stations originates from foreign sources, contributing to a homogenous and limited musical environment. This reliance on foreign content not only leads to a significant outflow of royalties, thereby economically marginalising Namibian artists but also hampers the growth and…

Martin Endjala Vice President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah says that the creative industry has the potential to be an economic driver for Namibia and create jobs for young people. She said the government is fully aware of the potential and importance of the culture and creative industries offered. She said this on Wednesday at the start of the 2024 TechNovation Social held in Windhoek. “I strongly believe that in addition to our main economic sectors, namely mining, fishing, tourism, and agriculture, we need to include sports and the creative industry. As an engine of economic growth and social development, the creative industry…

Hertta-Maria Amutenja The Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture (MEAC) has directed all regions to stop using the stipulations of formal education Circular 3 of 2019 for recruiting junior primary phase teachers. The executive director of the ministry, Sanet Steenkamp, has directed the chief regional officers of all regions to align recruitment processes with the national curriculum for basic education and personnel administration measures. According to the directive, teacher shortages in the junior primary phase, specifically from pre-primary to grade 3, led to the issuance of the original circular. “The MEAC, during the time of teacher shortage in the junior…

Niël Terblanché In an effort to address historical land injustices and improve living conditions for marginalised communities, the Namibian Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform has announced the establishment of communal land in the Khomas region. This development, aimed at correcting the legacy of colonial-era land dispossession, was detailed by Minister Calle Schlettwein in a speech delivered to the National Assembly. Schlettwein stressed the importance of this initiative, highlighting that the Khomas region, despite being central to Namibia, is the only region without designated communal land. According to the minister, this has left many residents, particularly those from the…