National News

Niël Terblanché In a detailed statement, the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT) has provided clarification surrounding the tragic death of Lubinda Samupwa in the Nkasa Rupara National Park, Zambezi Region, amidst rising community tensions and allegations of foul play. Romeo Muyunda, the MEFT’s spokesperson confirmed in the statement that a human life was tragically lost during an operation by the anti-poaching unit in the park on 7 April 2024. The death sparked significant controversy and threats of protest from the local community. They labelled the death as “suspicious” and directly linked it to the actions of the anti-poaching…

Niël Terblanché Officials from the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development (MURD) regional councils, and various government ministries are meeting in Swakopmund to evaluate progress, share insights, and address challenges in decentralising powers to local authorities. The minister of urban and rural development (MURD), Erastus Uutoni, during the official opening of the Consultative Decentralisation Forum at Swakopmund on Tuesday, said the event is a step further in the country's journey to enhance local autonomy and sustainable development in all regions. “The decentralisation process is key to achieving democratic governance, as it emphasizes subsidiarity and local autonomy. This approach aims not…

Niël Terblanché The Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism (MEFT) has stepped in to assist more than 200 hippopotamuses trapped in the mud of floodplains along the Linyanti and Chobe rivers in the Zambezi Region. After a decisive response to an environmental crisis, the ministry has assured the public that the situation is under control, with no immediate threat to the affected wildlife. Romeo Muyunda, a spokesperson of the MEFT, detailed the proactive measures taken since 2019, including installing a borehole and generator-powered pumps to supply water to the drying pond areas of the flood plains. He said that ever…

Hertta-Maria Amutenja The parliamentary standing committee on gender equality, social development and family affairs stated that the abortion bill is still in progress. Despite three petitions submitted to the National Assembly in 2020, advocating for reforms to the Abortion and Sterilisation Act No 2 of 1975, definitive action is yet to be taken. The committee chairperson, Gotthard Kasuto, stated that the bill's finalisation is pending, and consultations are scheduled for next week. “The abortion bill is not yet finalised. The committee will meet next week to discuss the bill's completion. We are only left with consultations with the tertiary institutions…

Martin Endjala City of Windhoek (CoW) deputy mayor, Joseph Uapingene, said the city will stick with RedForce to collect its debts, despite calls from the Katutura Residents Committee (KRC) to abolish the plan. He said this on 22 April during a media briefing at the council chamber to address concerns raised by the KRC in a petition submitted last year and a letter dated 8 April, among other things. Uapingene said RedForce has proven more sustainable in collecting debts for the municipality than the previous system, which yielded no results. “It is imperative to note that the decision to appoint…

Niël Terblanché The United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is intensifying its efforts to enable the Namibian government to better detect and manage outbreaks of contagious bovine pleuro-pneumonia (CBPP) in Namibia, The FAO in an announcement on its website over the weekend stated that the initiative to bolster animal health in the country is part of the agency’s broader strategy to support agricultural sustainability and disease resilience in the southern African region. CBPP, a severe respiratory disease affecting cattle, was recently identified in the Ncamangoro and Musese Constituencies of Kavango West. According to the FAO, local farmers reported symptoms…

Martin Endjala With the current drought conditions, the national cereal production of white maize, sorghum, pearl millet, and wheat for 2024, is estimated to be 72,150 tons representing a 53 percent decrease from last season’s harvest of 153,012 tons. According to the 2024 report of the Agro Business Information Services Unit of the Directorate of Planning and Business Development in the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform (MWALR), this consists of 36,419 tons of white maize, 15,867 tons of pearl millet, 1,469 tons of sorghum, and 18,394 tons of wheat. The report indicates that major crop-producing regions will have…

Niël Terblanché The National Planning Commission (NPC) has recently completed nationwide consultations to identify key areas for improvement. This is as the country transitions from its fifth National Development Plan (NDP5) to the formulation of NDP6. The NPC's chief national development advisor, Sylvester Mbangu said during a consultation session with the Khomas Regional Council last week that these consultations have highlighted various critical issues such as poor-quality roads, inadequate health facilities, and limited educational resources. He added that underdeveloped sports and water facilities, particularly impacting high-density areas and contributing to a rising housing backlog were also highlighted. NDP5, which spanned…

Ester Mbathera Outjo municipality sold erven to the residents for N$4,500 as part of the formalisation of the informal settlements. This was confirmed by the town's acting chief executive officer Jaco Labuschagne to this publication on Friday. Last week, the first 900 residents were shown their erven. “We are still planning for 2,000 but the first 900 have been marked and distributed,” he said. Labuschagne further explained that the services for the new landowners will be done on a prepayment basis. “This will include rates and taxes, sewage and water. They erven will cost N$4,500 and the resident can pay…